scholarly journals Boosting School Administrator Confidence When Evaluating Special Educators Through District Support and Training

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-95
Author(s):  
Corrine Aramburo ◽  
Janelle Rodl
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
School Site ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
District Support

This current study is an exploratory, secondary data analysis of a survey assessing training, district support, and confidence of school administrators when it comes to special education teacher evaluation. The present study specifically examines (a) if the influence of district training regarding special education teachers influences the confidence of school administrators to evaluate and observe special education teachers, (b) if administrators with a general education credential differ from administrators with a special education credential regarding the type of district support needed to better evaluate special education teachers; and (c) if possessing a special education credential influences an administrator’s confidence when evaluating both general and special education teachers at their school site. Results indicated that district training regarding special education teacher evaluation increased administrator confidence and that administrators with general education credentials desired more district support overall than did their counterparts with a special education credential. The data also showed that administrators with a special education credential felt significantly more confident evaluating special education and general education teachers than did their counterparts from general education backgrounds. Implications for the field of special education evaluation and future directions are discussed.

Explaining the Decline in Special Education Teacher Employment From 2005 to 2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Dewey ◽  
Paul T. Sindelar ◽  
Elizabeth Bettini ◽  
Erling E. Boe ◽  
Michael S. Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Public Law ◽  
General Educators ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Disability Prevalence ◽  
Constituent Elements

Demand for special education teachers grew continuously from the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975 through 2005, when this trend reversed. From 2005 to 2012, the number of special education teachers employed by U.S. schools declined by >17%. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine factors that contributed to this decline. We parsed change in number of special education teachers employed into four constituent elements and found that these recent reductions were fueled by decreases in disability prevalence and the relative ratio of teachers to students in special versus general education, which favored the latter. These changes have important implications for teacher preparation programs’ efforts to adequately prepare special and general educators and for policies designed to improve teacher quality.

Developing a Theory of Program Vision as Professional Socialization in Special Education Teacher Preparation

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642110589
Author(s):  
Hannah Morris Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities

In general education, researchers find candidates’ pre-service experiences are a tool for socialization into the knowledge, norms, and values of the profession. An important aspect of this process is program vision—the collective understanding of teaching put forth by a preparation program. Yet, few investigations in special education examine program vision. Using interviews with candidates across six teacher preparation programs, the author generates theory to understand the role of vision in special education teacher candidates’ professional socialization and how experiences of program vision are associated with their conceptions of their future roles and responsibilities. Candidates’ conception of special educators’ roles reflected three characterizations consistent within, but distinct across programs: Direct Instructor, Supportive Differentiator, and General Responder. Each profile was associated with unique roles and responsibilities for special educators. Findings draw attention to the importance of examining vision as a tool for professional socialization in special education teacher preparation.

scholarly journals Developing an Explicit Instruction Special Education Teacher Observation Rubric

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn S. Johnson ◽  
Yuzhu Zheng ◽  
Angela R. Crawford ◽  
Laura A. Moylan
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Explicit Instruction ◽  
Rasch Measurement ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Observation ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Video Observations ◽  
Psychometric Quality

In this study, we developed an Explicit Instruction special education teacher observation rubric that details the elements of explicit instruction and tested its psychometric properties using many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM). Video observations of classroom instruction from 30 special education teachers across three states were collected. External raters ( n = 15) were trained to observe and evaluate instruction using the rubric and assigned scores of “implemented,” “partially implemented,” or “not implemented” for each of the items. Analyses showed that the item, teacher, lesson, and rater facets achieved high psychometric quality for the instrument. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Backtalk: Why no safety drills for students with disabilities?

2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Perrodin
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
School Safety ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Safety Procedures

When students with disabilities are excluded from school safety drills, they are left woefully unprepared for any and all kinds of emergencies, says David Perrodin, a former special education teacher and school administrator. Perrodin considers the arguments against including these students in safety drills and enjoins school leaders to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to learn safety procedures.

Effective Pedagogical Practices in Inclusive Classrooms for Students With Disabilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 38-60
Author(s):  
Rashmi Khazanchi ◽  
Pankaj Khazanchi
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Inclusive Classrooms ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
General Education Teacher ◽  
High Quality Standard

Inclusive education means educating students with special needs in an age-appropriate general education setting where students receive high-quality, standard-based instructions, interventions, and support that enable them to experience success in the general education classroom. Effective pedagogical practices involve the collaboration of both special education teacher and general education teacher to identify and implement effective teaching practices which enhance student engagement and promote higher-order thinking skills. Special education teacher supports the general education teacher in adapting curriculum and teaching methods, modifying assessments, and providing accommodations to students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Effective pedagogical practices are affected by teacher's belief; students' disabilities; and their roles and responsibilities towards the students with disabilities. This chapter examines previous researches and studies that investigate effective pedagogical practices in inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities.

Special Education Teacher Attrition and Retention: A Review of the Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 697-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
Elizabeth Bettini
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Teacher Attrition ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Shortages

High rates of attrition make it challenging for schools to provide qualified special education teachers for students with disabilities, especially given chronic teacher shortages. We synthesize 30 studies from 2002 to 2017, examining factors associated with special educator attrition and retention, including (a) teacher preparation and qualifications, (b) school characteristics, (c) working conditions, and (d) teacher demographic and nonwork factors. Most studies examined working conditions (e.g., demands, administrative and collegial supports, resources, compensation) among special educators who left teaching, moved to other positions, transferred to general education teaching, or indicated that they intended to stay or leave. The majority of researchers used quantitative methods to analyze national, state, or other survey data, while eight used qualitative methods. Our critique identifies both strengths and weaknesses of this literature, suggests research priorities, and outlines specific implications for policy makers and leaders.

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