Sara Hakim

1. Why is there a shortage of special ed. teachers?
I think there is a shortage because special education is a very challenging profession with specific knowledge required and many tasks outside the classroom. Many people who have not been around special needs individuals are intimidated by the idea of working with these students.

2. Uncertified teachers
The use of uncertified teachers in the place of certified teachers is not ideal, but may be a pragmatic necessity. There are legal requirements that must be met and if a certified teacher cannot be found, it would be better to have an uncertified teacher rather than none. I think that uncertified teachers can be fabulous when working with a certified teacher.

3. What can be done to fill positions with trained teachers?
Alternative licensing programs for uncertified teachers in special education would help fill the shortage with individuals who want to work in this field. Outreach and recruitment efforts in undergraduate education programs could help a lot. I think exposure to special education students and teachers would make a big difference to inexperienced undergraduates.