At a December 13, 2024 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ listening session, those testifying lamented the adverse effects brought on by the highly qualified special education teacher shortage crisis. In his testimony, Aaron Parsons, public policy chair for the National Association of Private Special Education Centers, said that if the situation persists, “[T]he impact will be profound. Students with disabilities may face increased dependency, reduced opportunities for employment, greater social isolation, and in turn, this will place a greater burden on social services and the broader community.” As a result, Parsons suggested prioritizing recruitment and retention of special educators through competitive salaries and comprehensive training programs.
The session followed up on a Nov. 15 briefing where panelists shared recommendations for increasing the special education workforce, including salary increases, reduced paperwork, expanded school choice, and robust teacher career pipelines.
The commission plans to issue a report on the topic to the president and Congress in the latter half of 2025.
Source: K-12 Dive