Misplacement In Special Education

As the nation sees an increase in the number of children being diagnosed with some form of special needs, there is an increased need for properly trained special-education teachers. They, however, have become difficult to find. The education field has begun to see a drastic shortage in special-education teachers, resulting in positions being filled by those with less than ideal qualifications. This puts the most vulnerable students at risk of not receiving the help and sometimes extensive assistance they need in order to learn and grow in their education. From fast-track certification to seemingly random classroom placement, teachers are feeling less than prepared to take on the difficult task of running a special-education classroom. Teachers

being placed in these high-stress, difficult environments are, as a whole, not receiving sufficient training to ensure success is attainable for both them and their students.
Children with both physical and mental disabilities often need the help of trained individuals, to ensure that they are given the chance to meet their full potential. These teachers are given the often difficult task of helping students with extra barriers to cross. Special-education teachers see a variety of disabled students for each of whom they must create an individualized learning plan that best meets the child’s needs. From mainstream classroom inclusion to constant one-on-one interaction, the degree of disability and child demeanor require different approaches that the teacher must fully understand. This is why, traditionally, special-education teachers are required to obtain a bachelor's degree in education, then may acquire either a certificate or master’s degree in special education. However, the nation is currently experiencing a shortage in special-education teachers, which is often handled by hiring teachers who are less qualified and prepared than those who tend to be hired for general-education classrooms (Boe 162). Previous expectations and requirements have evolved to include fast-track programs and the hiring of teachers not certified to teach in a special-education classroom.
All teachers must believe that they are capable of doing their job in order to be successful. This, however, is even more important for special-education teachers who are facing different and complex challenges everyday. They must know that they have the skills to take on any issues that may arise with students. When looking into the the perception of preparedness among special-education teachers, university researchers Ruppar, Neeper, and Dalsen have found unsettling results; there is a “relatively lower comfort rate among special education teachers to provide direct support to students with severe disabilities” (Ruppar, Neeper, and Dalsen 282). They continued on to relate this finding to students with multiple or severe disabilities being ignored during classroom instruction. This is in no way good for the students’ or teachers’ development. Obtaining a degree is not alway enough, potential special-education teachers must receive hands-on training and extensive real-world experience to help build their confidence level when faced with students with more severe disabilities. Lee Pesky Learning Center, a nonprofit organization working to create fully prepared special-education teachers, have found that “those who aren’t ready for the challenge may not make it past the first year or two. Really good teacher preparations might be the difference” (National par. 2). The center has created a source of field experience that they found current college programs to lack. They allow students who are on their way to becoming special-education teachers with the chance to gain extensive hands-on experience with a wide variety of students with disabilities. This allows teachers who have attended the program to feel more prepared when faced with challenges in their own classrooms. However, this is only one center, meaning only a small proportion of teachers are given the opportunity to gain this added experience before entering the workforce. The vast majority of teachers entering special-education classrooms are doing so with limited experience and an overall lack of confidence. When a teacher does not feel that he/she is prepared to contend with certain issues, they tend to avoid them all together.
This lack of preparation is only exacerbated by the introduction of fast-track programs. As the nation began to see a shortage in special-education teachers, schools became desperate for a solution. This resulted in the growing number of teachers being hired after completing what is referred to as fast-track programs. Sandra Cooley Nichols and other writers for the Phi Delta Kappan magazine explored just what these fast-track programs are, “ These programs are intended to accommodate individuals from other careers who want to become teachers. Such summer programs include abbreviated coursework and field experience” (Nichols et al. 598). This translates to people with even less field experience than is typically provided, which is already a questionable amount, being placed in the high-stress environment that is a special-education classroom. While some may feel that this at least allows for teachers with some form of training to be placed, it also allows for schools to settle, and not extend their hiring search to more qualified applicants, who are often entitled to higher pay. Christina Samuels, writer for Education Week, discussed these programs with Deborah Ziegler, the directory of policy and advocacy for the Council of Exceptional Students, who expressed concerns that with the use of fast-track programs, the students requiring the most help will end up being placed with less qualified teachers, who are unprepared to handle the needs of said students (Samuels S8). These truncated programs are permitting teachers who lack the necessary skills to enter classrooms, with the illusion of having sufficient training to be able to effectively teach disabled students.
On top of accepting applicants from fast-track programs, schools are also lowering the requirements set for those entering their classrooms.

In a seemingly desperate attempt to fill the growing number of open positions in the field, schools are hiring and placing people who lack even the basic licensure. Ross Brenneman, writer for Education Week, found that, “[some districts have experimented with changing licensure rules,” and continued on to tell about a district in Kansas that allows for unlicensed teachers to work throughout their schools (Brenneman 6). While the issue of misplacement and lack of licensure is not exclusive to special-education classrooms, it is here that the misplacement can have the most detrimental effect. Some argue that this is happening as a process in programs designed to provide these teachers with the necessary certification. However, Diane Rado from the Chicago Tribune, points out that it is often years before proper certification is ever acquired. This was the case in a Chicago area school district, where a teacher certified in history and social sciences was placed in a special-education classroom long before he had received proper credentials (Rado par. 4). While it is understandable that schools wish to fill the open positions as quickly as possible, they are going about it in a way that may easily become harmful the nations most vulnerable

students.
The process of inclusion, or placing students with special needs into mainstream classrooms, has seen more support in recent years. This allows for students to interact with peers and develope networked relationships, all while experiencing a more general form of the curriculum. While this is no doubt beneficial, it is often not fair to neither the student nor the teacher. When a teacher is faced with a child’s needs that they are not prepared to handle, the situation can quickly escalate, causing issues for both the student and teacher. Recent studies have shown “68.2% of students with learning disabilities spend 80% or more of their school day in the general education classroom” (Kirby 176). As students are spending more time with general-education teachers, it is important that these teachers at least have highly trained colleges to help when difficult situations arise. This lack of efficacy can be solved by ensuring teachers who are placed in charge of the education of students with disabilities receive proper training.
The world of special-education has seen massive developments over the years that have greatly increased the positive effect on the students placed in these classrooms. From fearing disabilities, to understanding the important role those with special-needs can play in society, a lot has changed. “However, if we are to avoid the mistakes of the past we must heed their lessons and guarantee that the professional development of teachers and adequate funding for schools are given a high priority” (Hodkinson 65). Society needs to continue to support those with disabilities and expect that they are supplied with nothing but the best. Expecting the best means subjecting those entrusted with their education to extensive training to provide them with adequate preparation to connect the students to their education.
Special-education has become a vital part of today's society, helping to provide everyone with the skills they need to excel in life.

This, however, cannot be achieved if those entrusted with this task do not have the training necessary to know how to go about it. The Washington Post has found that, “5.8 million students aged 6 to 21 receive special-education services” (Special-Education par. 11). Meaning, 5.8 million students require some extent of extra help when it comes to their education. This can include disabilities surrounding the most basic of life tasks, such as communicating, to less severe challenges, like struggling to read, a special-education classroom can see it all. Yet, all to often these classrooms are filled with teachers who either are not certified at all, or just do not feel that they are prepared to contend with some of the disabilities presented. Schools are allowing the most vulnerable students with the most needs to be taught by teachers who have not acquired the skills necessary to provide them with the help they need. Perhaps going forward, it would behoove the nation to hold schools accountable for the teachers hired, but also stand behind the importance of special-education teachers. When students are inspired to enter the field, school districts will begin to see an influx of qualified special-education teachers who are prepared to enter the classroom with the confidence necessary for

success.