scholarly journals An Examination of Resiliency in Rural Special Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory C. Zost
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
New Teachers ◽  
Teacher Turnover ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Rural Teachers ◽  
Special Educaiton

Retention of rural special education teachers is a dilemma for many school districts. Districts in rural areas suffer from a lack of qualified special educaiton teachers. Therefor, the problem of having enough qualified special educators is not easily solved. Many rural distrits are able to hire teacher candidaes, but fail to retain them for various reasons. Building resiliency in new teachers and educators during the first several years of teaching may be part of the answer to addressing the high rate fo teacher turnover in rural areas. This paper summarizes highlights from research completed with rural Nebraska teachers on th topics of intrinsic resiliency and building resiliency in rural teachers.

Special Education Attrition in the State of Utah: Rural vs. Urban School Districts

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Prater ◽  
Temma Harris ◽  
Lane Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Urban School Districts ◽  
State Office ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Education Personnel ◽  
Special Education Personnel

Critical shortages of special educators in the U.S. are not new. Approximately 1.1% of all U.S. special education positions have remained unfilled for the last five years (Boe, 2006). The authors were commissioned by the Utah State Office of Education to collect data on special education personnel, including special education teachers, school psychologists and speech language pathologists. This study compared all Utah rural and urban special education personnel who left their districts during the combined school years of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Results reveal that rural special education personnel left their positions at a significantly lower rate than is to be expected. Similarities and differences among special education leavers in rural and urban districts as well as their reasons for leaving are discussed.

Rural Special Education Teachers' Knowledge and Use of Telecomputer Networks1

1996 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Ron Nelson ◽  
Flint Simonsen ◽  
Karen Michaelson
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Rural School ◽  
Rural School Districts ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Student Access ◽  
Teacher Use

This study investigates rural special education teachers' knowledge and use of telecomputer networks and telecomputer resources. Specifically, special educators from 173 rural school districts were surveyed regarding: (a) their familiarity with and use of telecomputer networks; (b) teacher use of resources available on telecomputer networks; (c) student access to telecomputing resources, and (d) obstacles to using telecomputer networks. The results of the survey indicate that telecomputer networks and telecomputer resources are not utilized relative to their potential. The implications of the results are discussed.

The Wyoming Collaborative Mentorship Academy: A Field-based Program for Certifying Fully Qualified Special Education Teachers in a Rural State

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Simpson ◽  
Dorothy Jean Yocom ◽  
H. Timothy Blum
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
The State ◽  
Alternative Route ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Rural State

The purpose of Wyoming Collaborative Mentorship Academy (WCMA) is to provide school districts in Wyoming with an alternative route to certification for teachers who are currently teaching out of field in special education. The WCMA is a program designed to meet the needs of the students with disabilities in the state by providing a program which will increase the number of highly qualified and certified special educators, trained mentors, and administrators.

Attracting and Retaining Special Educators in Rural and Small Schools: Issues and Solutions

1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
June Canty Lemke
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Small Schools ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Review Of The Literature

The author of this article describes the challenges of recruiting, orienting, and retaining qualified special education teachers in rural and small schools. Through a review of the literature, the issues are defined and then successful strategies used by school districts are proposed as solutions.

Exploring the Special Education versus Regular Education Decisions of Future Teachers in the Rural Midwest

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keri L. Desutter ◽  
Steven Dale Lemire
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Regular Education ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Career Path ◽  
Education Decisions ◽  
Teacher Education Faculty

Persistent shortages of special education teachers, particularly in rural areas, exist across the country. This study assessed the openness of teacher candidates enrolled in an introductory education course at two rural Midwest universities to a special education career path. Survey findings confirmed that work or volunteer experience involving people with special needs is a significant predictor of choosing special education as a career path. Findings also revealed that not all students who have experience with individuals with special needs choose to pursue special education. Considerations for teacher education faculty hoping to attract more special educators to the field are discussed.

Future Special Education Teachers Perceptions of Rural Teaching Environments

1993 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teri L. Bell ◽  
Kay Sather Bull ◽  
Jeanne M. Barrett ◽  
Diane Montgomery ◽  
Adrienne E. Hyle
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Rural Districts ◽  
Rural Teaching

For many rural communities, the recruitment and retention of special educators has emerged as a prominent concern. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of future special educators regarding urban, suburban, and rural teaching environments. Specifically, research objectives focused on social, cultural, personal and professional attitudes, future career decisions, and their relationship to teaching locale. Findings indicate that, generally, special education students had chosen their career field for altruistic reasons. The variables that drew beginning teachers to school districts were care for students, parental involvement and educational resources. Districts which could provide these should have few recruiting problems, no matter where they were located. However, if all other things are equal, the majority (60%) desired suburban placements, 23% desired rural placements and urban placements came in last. Students who grew up in rural areas were more likely to favor returning to rural areas to teach than those from urban or suburban areas, but only 20% of rurally raised students would prefer returning to rural districts. Salaries do not seem to be an issue for any except those who want to teach in urban areas.

Learning From Graduate Training in Related Fields: A Model Online School Psychology Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Waldron-Soler ◽  
Susan F. Ruby ◽  
Jamie M. Chaffin
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Graduate Training ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Related Service

Since the enactment of Public Law 94-142, school districts have struggled to hire and retain required special education personnel (i.e., special education teachers, school psychologists, and related service providers). Data show that shortages of these qualified personnel are even more magnified in rural school districts. Distance education can provide an opportunity for candidates in rural areas to pursue educational training and certification while remaining in their communities. We summarize evidence-based components for online programs and describe an online program designed to respecialize candidates as school psychologists through comprehensive online training. We recommend a similar online model for training candidates to be special education teachers in rural and remote locations and provide guidance for programs to develop effective online programs.

A Bandwagon without Music: Preparing Rural Special Educators

1984 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence W. Marrs
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Rural America ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Special Education Programs

The bandwagon has finally reached rural America. This article discusses important considerations for those who would board this bandwagon carrying baggage which includes preconceived ideas about using traditional special education programs to prepare special educators for rural areas. Competencies and curriculum elements which should be included in preservice programs are discussed.

Variables Affecting the Reintegration Rate of Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance

1994 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elana Esterson Rock ◽  
Michael S. Rosenberg ◽  
Deborah T. Carran
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Emotional Disturbance ◽  
Teacher Attitudes ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Educational Program ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Serious Emotional Disturbance ◽  
K 12

This study examined educational program and teacher variables to identify factors that predict the reintegration of students with serious emotional disturbance (SED) into less restrictive placements. Data on program demographics, reintegration orientation, teacher reintegration training, and teacher attitudes toward reintegration were collected from 162 special education teachers and 31 administrators in restrictive placements for K-12 students with SED. This information was compared to the reintegration rates of students in those schools through the use of a hierarchical set regression analysis. Results indicated that reintegration orientation, demographic characteristics of restrictive SED programs, and particular experiences/training of special educators predict the reintegration of students with SED into less restrictive programs.

From Caring to Cared For

2019 ◽  
pp. 102-117
Author(s):  
Lindsey A. Chapman ◽  
Chelsea T. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Retention ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Marginalized Populations ◽  
Practical Application

Special educators dedicate their careers to caring for one of the most vulnerable and historically marginalized populations of students despite often working in environments that do little to reciprocate this care. Amidst an ever-changing education landscape, special education teachers are becoming increasingly stressed, experiencing burnout at alarming rates, and far too frequently leaving the field altogether. In this chapter, caring school leadership is examined in the context of special education. The authors seek to bridge a theoretical stance with practical application to the field. Three necessary conditions for caring are discussed and specific “transactions of care” are recommended. The chapter concludes by upholding the idea that ensuring special educators feel cared for by school leaders has the potential to mitigate issues of poor working conditions, teacher retention, and consequently, promote positive outcomes for students with disabilities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document