The state Department of Education last week announced more than $1.4 million to 77 school entities to develop Pennsylvania’s “next generation” of special education teachers. Two of the grant recipients, IUP and the River Valley School District, will receive the maximum amount of funds in the allocation, $20,000.
The funds are specifically earmarked to help the schools with “experiential learning opportunities” ( student teaching) for secondary and postsecondary teaching candidates to work with students with disabilities.
PDE says it hopes to develop a “robust pipeline of educators” in special education. Teach Plus, a nonprofit education advocacy group, said in May that there are about 2,000 teacher vacancies in Pennsylvania with another 6,500 teaching positions filled by teachers using emergency certificate. The organization identified special education, math, and science as the three biggest problem areas, especially in underserved rural and urban areas.
Pennsylvania’s teacher attrition rate is six percent annually.
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