Texas district seeks to turn high-schoolers into teachers

A program in the Austin Independent School District in Texas starts teacher training in high school so interested students can return to the classroom as teachers. The program has students earn an associate degree during high school and then participate in an accelerated program through the local community college and Texas Tech University.

Full Story: Austin American-Statesman (Texas) (free content)

School District Using Free College Tuition To Attract Special Educators

In exchange for a four-year commitment teaching special education, a school district says it will pay the tuition for prospective teachers to earn their credential. Read More >

Study: Specialized Teacher Training Yields More Success For Kids With ASD

Training public school teachers specifically to work with students who have autism makes a big difference, new research suggests, helping kids on the spectrum excel in mainstream classes. Read More >

Purdue U. to begin accelerated special-ed degree

A program beginning this fall at Purdue University offers an accelerated three-year degree for special-education teachers to stem a growing shortage. The fast-track program will offer instruction in areas such as using assistive technology.  Inside Indiana Business

10 lessons learned from special-education teachers

Teachers can learn a lot from peers who work in special education, writes Peg Grafwallner, an instructional coach and reading specialist in Milwaukee. In this blog post, Grafwallner shares 10 ways working with special-education teachers have improved her own teaching, such as how to ask for help when needed.    Edutopia online

How Training of Special Education Teachers Has Changed to Prepare Them for Inclusion

Among the many things required to make inclusion work in today’s schools are teachers who are trained to do it right. Friendship Circle asked Dr. Dusty Columbia Embury and Dr. Laura Clarke, associate professors of special education at Eastern Kentucky University, to answer some questions about how teacher training has changed to accommodate diverse learners in a single classroom. This month, they’ll give some insight into the current state of training; next month, they’ll consider how things could improve. How has the training of special education teachers changed with the increase of inclusive classrooms? Dusty: To respond to this, we…
Read in browser »

Is Teacher Preparation Failing Students With Disabilities?

Most kids with disabilities spend the majority of their days in general education classrooms, but many teacher training programs offer little preparation for educating these students. Read More >

Millions Headed To States For Special Ed Training

The U.S. Department of Education is shelling out millions in funding to help recruit and train teachers and administrators serving children with disabilities. Read More >

Feds Allocate Millions For Special Ed Training

With an eye toward increasing the number of school professionals prepared to serve kids with disabilities, federal officials are doling out millions of dollars to enhance training programs. https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/05/20/feds-special-ed-training/22338/

Feds Put Millions Toward Training Special Educators

With an eye on improving services for students with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Education is funneling millions into programs to train new special educators.  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/06/17/feds-millions-training-sped/20390/

Autism Surge Creating Special Education Teacher Shortages

Schools have long had trouble finding special education teachers, but administrators say the task is becoming increasingly difficult as more children are diagnosed with autism.http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/04/autism-teacher-shortages/19817/

Center aims to boost effectiveness of special educators

A new federal Center to Support the Development of Effective Educators to Serve Students with Disabilities will be created to assist state education departments that are reviewing and reforming standards for teacher-training programs. The center, being funded with up to $5 million from the U.S. Education Department, is expected to collaborate with colleges and universities as well as school districts to create research-based standards that help teachers work effectively in inclusive classrooms. Education Week/On Special Education blog (8/3)  http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/speced/2012/08/new_center_will_aim_to_dev.html