Top Special Education Schools

1. Liberty University Online Click for Recommended Degree Program
2. Grand Canyon University Click for Recommended Degree Program
3. Western Governors Online Click for Recommended Degree Program

Is There a Special Education Teacher Shortage?

Everywhere you look, you see another story about the growing teacher shortage in the United States, especially in special education, but how true is it? Is there a special education teacher shortage? Sadly, it is all true, there are not enough people entering the profession to fill the need created by a growing student body and by the number of teachers who are leaving the field. The shortage is so bad in some places that foreign teachers are being hired to fill the need. In others, unprecedented incentives are in place, including student loan forgiveness, sign-on bonuses, and more. For the past six years, there has been a creation of 10,000 new special education teacher positions every year and this trend is expected to continue. If you have been thinking of entering one of the best careers in education, now is the perfect time to go back to college and get your career training in special education.

Is there a special education teacher shortage?

Why is there a special education teacher shortage now? What is the cause of the growing deficit? It is not a simple cause that has created a shortage, but is instead a number of factors all working together that has led us to this point. Educational reform in past years had set higher standards for small class sizes, which, when combined with a growing population of students, is creating the need for more teachers.

In addition, to the question of is there a special education teacher shortage, many existing special education teachers are retiring or leaving the profession for general education classrooms or other jobs due to burnout. Finally, fewer people are choosing this profession because the pay is not that high considering the excessive responsibilities, paperwork, and stress of the job. Increased demands involving testing and No Child Left Behind have also contributed to making this field less attractive both to those who currently work in it and to those who are attending college.

Is there a special education teacher shortage upside?

Fortunately, this great shortage is good news for people who really want to become special education teachers. Many states are offering financial incentives to draw people to this great profession. These incentives include such things as scholarships, grants, sign-on bonuses, and student loan forgiveness. These rewards are creating an excellent environment for entering the field of special education. In fact, in a time when many college graduates are having trouble finding employment, a highly qualified special education teacher may be faced with multiple job offers immediately upon graduation. These factors make an already great career even more appealing.

When you realize that not only is there a special education teacher shortage currently, but that it is providing unheard of opportunities for those who choose this excellent career field, you will see that there is nothing unattractive about this job. If you are ready to start working in an exciting, challenging career that will provide you with immense satisfaction and a very comfortable financial future, get started on your special education teacher training now.