National Trends in the Sources of Supply of Teachers in Special and General Education
Open accessAbstract
This paper addresses the national quantity demand, supply, and shortage of special education teachers (SETs) in comparison to general education teachers (GETs). The main data source was the 1999–00 Schools and Staffing Survey. Results indicated that the total demand for SETs increased 38% from 240,000 in 1987–88 to 330,000 in 1999–00, a rate of growth greater than the 26% increase observed for GETs. For entering teachers, the reserve pool was the predominant source of supply of both SETs and GETs. However, only 46% of first-time SETs completed extensive teacher preparation with degree majors in their primary areas of teaching, whereas the comparable figure for GETs was 82%. As an indication of the inadequate supply of extensively prepared teachers in special education, about 28% of first-time teachers hired in special education positions had completed teacher preparation in general education. Finally, a modest decline in the supply of degree graduates in special education has occurred since 1997–98 in spite of the increasing quantity demand for entering SETs.
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Special educators leave at an annual rate of 13%, double the general education rate, with roughly 25% leaving over three years.
“The annual attrition rate for special educators (13%) is twice that of general educators, and the three-year attrition rate is approximately 25% (Cook & Boe, 2007; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008).”
From Too Stressed to Teach? Teaching Quality, Student Engagement, and IEP Outcomes (2017) · cites this paper as Cook & Boe, 2007
In “What are Trends in the Annual Supply of Degree Majors in Teacher Preparation?” (page unavailable), the paper says annual exit attrition percentages for special and general educators are very similar, contrary to the claimed twofold difference. Its 25% figure describes the share of beginning teachers who leave and cite potentially addressable reasons—not the share who leave over three years. The passage does not report a 13% annual attrition rate. (LLM, conf=0.90)
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Cites
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Boe, E. E., & Cook, L H. (in press). The chronic and increasing shortage of fully-certified teachers in special , and general education. Exceptional Children.
- Brownell, M. T., Hirsch, E., & Seo, S. (2004). Meeting the demand for highly qualified special education tcachers during severe shortages: What should policy- makers consider? Journal ofSp~cial Education, 38,56-61.
- McLCskey, ]., Tyler, N. c., & Flippen, S. S. (2004). The supply and demand for special education teachers: A review of research regarding the chronic shortage ofspecial education teachers. Journal of Sp~cial Education, 38, 5-21.
- National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education & Cenification. (2003). Th~NASDTEC Manual on th~PrqJaration and Certification ofEducational Pmonnel2003 (Sd' ed.). Sacramento, CA: School Services of California, Inc. National Clearinghouse on Professions in Special Education. (1992). Who will teach? Who willsavdAReport Sources of Teacher Supply Cook & Boe . to th~Fi~ld by th~Task Forc~on a National Pmonnel Agenda fOr Sp~cial Education and R~laud S~rvices.
- Sindelar, P. T., Daunic, A., & Rennells, M. S. (2004). Comparisons of tf:lditionally and alternatively trained .teachers. ExcqJtionality, 12(4), 209-223.
Cited by
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Too Stressed to Teach? Teaching Quality, Student Engagement, and IEP Outcomes
Wong, V. W., Ruble, L. A., Yu, Y., & McGrew, J. H. (2017) · Exceptional Children · doi:10.1177/0014402917690729 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
“%) is twice that of general educators, and the 3-year attrition rate is approximately 25% (Cook & Boe, 2007; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008).”
Background
- Authors
- Cook, L. H., & Boe, E. E.
- Affiliations
- California State University, Dominguez Hills (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Venue
- Teacher Education and Special Education: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-10
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 217-232
- ISSN
- 0888-4064 (ISSN-L)
- 1944-4931
- OpenAlex
- W2096103900
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 8.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- repository.upenn.edu
- Locations
- Teacher Education and Special Education The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children (publishedVersion)
- Scholarly Commons (University of Pennsylvania) (submittedVersion)
- ScholarlyCommons (University of Pennsylvania) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Teacher Professional Development and Motivation
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Education › Education in Rural Contexts
- Keywords
- special education teachers, general education teachers, teacher supply, teacher shortage, teacher preparation, teacher recruitment, teacher demand, Schools and Staffing Survey
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