NCPSSERS is committed to providing practitioners, researchers and policymakers with useful resources, reports and data about the specialized instructional support and special education teacher shortage.
Understanding Shortages
Special Education Teacher Shortage: A Policy Analysis | Council for Exceptional Children (June 2021)
This article discusses the current special education teacher shortage and reviews some of the current federal efforts to provide funding and resources to help address the issues.
Educator Supply and Demand Reports | American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE)
The Educator Supply and Demand Report is a nationally recognized resource for identifying trends in PK-12 educator supply and demand.
AIR’s Teacher Shortages: Trends, Projections, and What Experts Say | AIR
Teacher shortages are widely reported across the United States. But is there more to the story? The American Institutes for Research curated briefs and reports on shortages, teacher recruitment, and preparation.
Understanding Shortages of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel: Dialogue Guide | NCPSSERS
Dialogue guide for discussion with policymakers, practitioners and educators, the general public, school administrators, and higher education programs on the issue of personnel shortages.
Schools Survey Report: SLP Workforce & Work Condition Trends, 2004–2020 | ASHA
This report gathers information about professional issues for speech-language pathologists in school settings from 2004 to 2018.
Schools Survey Report: Trends in Educational Audiology, 2010–2020 | ASHA
This report gathers information about professional issues for audiologists in school settings from 2010 to 2018.
Occupational Outlook Handbook | Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data relating to employment and the labor force to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor.
Bureau of Labor Statistics/Employment Projections
Long- and short-term projections of occupational employment growth for all states and the nation.
U.S. Department of Education Materials
Teacher Shortage Areas, Nationwide Listing: 1990–1991 through 2014–2015 (Full Report)
2011–2012 Special Education/Related Services Personnel Shortages List (Chart)
- 23 states have a shortage of speech-language pathologists
- 14 states have a shortage of personnel to assist deaf or hearing impaired students
- 11 states are experiencing shortages of personnel to work with students with learning disabilities
- 10 states lack personnel to teach emotionally disturbed students
- 7 states do not have enough school nurses
Shortage of Special Education Expertise Among Teachers & Higher Education Faculty | HECSE
This 2014 report looks at the shortages of special education teachers in K-12 schools, as well as special education faculty.
Variability in Demand for Special Education Teachers: Indicators, Explanations, and Impacts | Exceptionality
A 2013 article regarding the decline of special education teachers, including contributing factors such as service delivery, the economy, and the number of students with disabilities on their caseloads.
Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Attract, Prepare, Retain: Effective Personnel For All | Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), US Department of Education
These resources, developed by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), focus on strategies to attract, prepare, and retain effective personnel for roles as general and special education teachers, early childhood personnel, and specialized instructional support providers. Included are webinars, video vignettes, and 13 leverage briefs that address funding, growing your own programs, micro credentials, residencies, induction and mentoring, and alternative certification routes.
Teacher Retention: Reducing the Attrition of Special Educators | Iris Center
This learning module addresses key factors that influence teacher turnover and retention and provides six specific actions that school leaders can implement to improve retention.
Enhancing Professional Leadership | OSEP
Promoting professional leadership is a strategy that involves formally or informally recognizing individuals who influence, mobilize, and guide personnel in their school or district and in the field itself. This leverage brief provides an overview, research, and examples on promoting leadership.
Induction and Mentoring | OSEP
Novice personnel are at the highest risk for attrition during their first 3 years in the field. Induction and mentoring address this challenge by providing strong in-service supports as personnel become acclimated to their new role. This leverage brief provides an overview, research, and examples on induction and mentorship programs.
Ongoing Professional Learning | OSEP
To increase the effectiveness of personnel, ongoing professional learning must be deeply embedded in their daily work. This leverage brief provides an overview, research, and examples on professional learning opportunities to enhance skills and practice among teachers, interventionists, educational support personnel, and specialized instructional support personnel.
Professional Empowerment | OSEP
When employees feel valued, they are more likely to stay in their positions. This leverage brief provides an overview, research, and examples on professional empowerment.
Supportive Work Environments | OSEP
Positive school climate, manageable workload, social supports from administrators, and logistical benefits characterize a supportive work environment. This leverage brief provides an overview, research, and examples on how to cultivate a supportive work environment.
Preparing and Retaining Effective Special Education Teachers: Short Term Strategies for Long Term Solutions | CEEDAR Center and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
Many states struggle with shortages of special education teachers (SET). To address the shortage problem in the long term, policymakers, preparation providers, and state and district administrators must ensure that any short-term strategies are combined with a comprehensive plan that includes long-term systemic strategies to strengthen the supply, preparation, and retention of special education teachers.
Using Teacher Exit Surveys to Improve Teacher Retention | Regional Education Laboratory
An article by Joni Wackwitz discussing how a teacher exit survey can help districts and schools better understand why teachers leave and better target efforts to improve retention.
Recruitment and Retention of School-Based Physical Therapists [PDF] | APTA
This document highlights considerations for recruitment and retention of physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) in public schools.