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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 5d

More needs to be done to have a representative #SpecialEducation teacher workforce, as explored by @edutuan.bsky.social, @lmasonwms.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social in this paper: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 5d

Our experts have researched many of these topics in our mission to inform policy to strengthen the special educator workforce, finding:

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 5d

Here are the suggestions:
➡️Fully fund IDEA
➡️Recruit and retain qualified teachers
➡️Promote a representative educator workforce
➡️Increase teacher pay
➡️Collect and publish comprehensive data
➡️Strengthen state-federal collaboration
➡️Protect parental rights
➡️ Ensure ethical & transparent hiring

The Federal Response to Teacher Shortage Impacts on Students with Disabilities

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 5d

The US Commission on Civil Rights (@usccrgov.bsky.social) released a new report on The Federal Response to Teacher Shortage Impacts on Students with Disabilities, offering eight suggestions to help overcome longstanding shortages: www.usccr.gov/reports/2025...

The Commission began this investigation to better understand how the national teacher shortage is affecting students with disabilities and to examine how the federal government, especially the U.S. De...

www.usccr.gov

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Reposted by SPARC Center

Dan Goldhaber @cedr.bsky.social · 13d

Hot off the presses a new @caldercenter.bsky.social paper on which college students are opting into a path toward becoming a teacher (by applying to a teacher ed program): caldercenter.org/publications...

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 12d

🎓 Is having a dual-certification in #SpecialEducation and general education better than having one certification? SPARC Center co-director @afgilmour.bsky.social and Tiffany Lam reviewed the research to learn more on this topic: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

Reposted by SPARC Center

Lindsey Kaler @lindseykaler.bsky.social · Jul 22

Excited to circulate another @caldercenter.bsky.social WP! Another study from my dissertation, w/ @roddy-theobald.bsky.social‬. Using data from WA, we track individual paraeducators to predict exit from the state education workforce. Ungated WP here: ‬ tinyurl.com/3wtfrm2m
🧵 below:

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · 20d

Policy solutions can help stabilize and diversify the paraeducator workforce to improve #SpecialEducation outcomes. A recent paper by @lindseykaler.bsky.social and @roddy-theobald.bsky.social at @caldercenter.bsky.social examines turnover patterns in WA and offers suggestions for policymakers.

Reposted by SPARC Center

Alli Gilmour @afgilmour.bsky.social · Aug 26

Excited to share a new publication with co-author Tiffany Lam- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Dual-Certification in Special Education and General Education. Read the full paper here- journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Aug 21

SPARC Center Co-Directors @afgilmour.bsky.social and @lizbettini.bsky.social will join @aefpweb.bsky.social for a free forum on teacher shortages and vacancies on August 28 from 1–2pm ET.

Register to attend: aefpweb.org/ev_calendar_...

A Theory Towards Special Education Teachers of Color Turnover: A Critical Analysis of Racialized Working Conditions

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Aug 6

Join SPARC Center Director @roddy-theobald.bsky.social and Co-Director @afgilmour.bsky.social on August 13 at 11am ET for a free, virtual event hosted by the PROGRESS Center!

Register: promotingprogress.org/events/prepp...

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Aug 5

In this new paper, #SPARCCenter Co-PI LaRon Scott draws on psychological theory to offer a fresh perspective on the high turnover rates among #SpecialEducation teachers of color—and what we can do about it.

📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1080/1547...

This article advances an equity-focused theory to describe working conditions and turnover for special education teachers of color. While researchers have underscored the disproportionately higher ...

doi.org

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Aug 4

Many of our #SpecialEducation colleagues are coming together for the @usedgov.bsky.social Office of Special Education Programs Project Directors’ Meeting this week! Improving outcomes for students with disabilities requires a strong, well-qualified, and stable workforce. Learn more: sparccenter.org

Home | SPARC Center

sparccenter.org

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 31

In a recent @caldercenter.bsky.social study, @lindseykaler.bsky.social, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @lizbettini.bsky.social, and @natejones.bsky.social show how #SpecialEducation teacher turnover negatively impacts test scores—making teacher retention a critical priority.

📄 Learn more

Impacts of Staff Turnover on Test Scores for Students With and Without Disabilities | CALDER Center

caldercenter.org

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 29

We can’t afford to lose #SpecialEducation teachers to burnout. Improving working conditions is critical to keeping them in the profession.

Check out this new research review from #SPARCCenter Co-Director @lizbettini.bsky.social and colleagues: doi.org/10.3102/0034...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

doi.org

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 28

Are you a novice leader or looking to increase your capacity to support the implementation of IDEA?

Apply for the free, yearlong Lead IDEA Leadership Academy: lead-idea.org/lead-idea-le...

Lead IDEA Leadership Academy | Lead IDEA

The Lead IDEA Center is excited to launch the 2025-2026 Lead IDEA Leadership Academy — a dynamic leadership development experience for local early intervention (EI) program and PreK-Grade 12 school bu...

lead-idea.org

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 24

Supporting #SpecialEducation teachers can boost their desire to remain in the classroom.

New research from #SPARCCenter Co-PI LaRon Scott, Salena Layden and Kristin Gansle explores how supports are related to their intentions to remain in teaching.

📄 Learn more: doi.org/10.1177/1088...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

doi.org

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 22

In the Handbook of Education Policy Research (2nd Edition), @lmasonwms.bsky.social and Margaret McLaughlin explore “Finding the Right Tools: The Affordances and Limitations of the IDEA”.

📘 See the full table of contents: www.aera.net/Portals/38/2...

www.aera.net

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 17

Our researchers are digging into questions about the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. Recently, @lizbettini.bsky.social, @lindseykaler.bsky.social, @hannahmmathews.bsky.social,‬ Malavika Ragunathan & Katheryn Meyer explored teacher beliefs about students labeled with EBD.

“Well, Those Students Have a Name:” Special Educators’ Beliefs About Students Labeled With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders | SPARC Center

sparccenter.org

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Reposted by SPARC Center

Alli Gilmour @afgilmour.bsky.social · Jul 17

Excited to share a new working paper with Bluesky-less Equia Aniagyei-Cobbold and @roddy-theobald.bsky.social : Unequal and Maybe Inequitable: Emergency Permitted Special Education Teachers in Pennsylvania

Read it here- tinyurl.com/372h4bcy

Unequal and Maybe Inequitable: Emergency Permitted Special Education Teachers in Pennsylvania | CALDER Center

tinyurl.com

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SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 15

New research on #SpecialEducation Personnel Attrition with PA Dept. of Ed shows:

➡️Admins leave more than teachers
➡️Higher attrition among Black educators, urban settings, and more diverse districts
➡️Retention must be role- & context-specific

Learn more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

SPARC Center @sparccenter.bsky.social · Jul 7

Our researchers recently hosted a webinar on the challenges of identifying #SpecialEducation teachers in state longitudinal data systems (#SLDS). Scroll through some of our initial learnings from our first year analyzing data and stay tuned for a working paper with these results.