A shortage of certified teacher candidates nationwide is especially challenging in the field of special education. U.S. rural school districts are even more impacted due to limited access to universities because of geographical distance. In this program description, we look at the University Louisville's fully online special education alternative…

Chronic special education teacher (SET) shortages are a national concern and particularly problematic in rural school districts. That is, rural districts face challenges when it comes to hiring and retaining qualified SETs. To understand the contributing factors related to retention and attrition, it is essential to gain insight from rural SETs…

The shortage of teachers is amplified in rural areas where educators work with students with low-incidence disabilities (LID; visual or hearing impairment; significant cognitive impairment; any impairment for which a small number of personnel with highly specialized skills and knowledge are needed for children to receive early intervention…

National- and state-level education policies are evolving to address teacher shortages that are pervasive across the United States and are particularly problematic in rural special education. In this article, we describe a policy we call "endorsement by exam" in which teachers certified in one subject area can become certified in other…

This investigation used the 7 P's Service Marketing Mix (i.e., product, price, place, promotion, people, physical evidence, and processes) to review development and recruitment strategies of special education alternative teacher preparation programs. Articles published between 1997 and 2018 were reviewed to identify alternative teacher preparation…

Teacher shortages in special education have been a source of long-standing concern for professionals and parents involved in the education of students with disabilities. Because of their geographic location, culture, and lack of resources, rural administrators have always struggled to staff their schools with qualified special education teachers.…

This article reviews current developments in state and national policies that affect rural special education. A brief overview of the federal role in rural education is provided, with emphasis on the implications for the provision of special education services in rural communities. A variety of challenges are identified, including (a) the variable…

The University of Kentucky provides an alternative certification program to prepare teacher candidates in moderate and severe disabilities. Observations occur every semester that candidates are in the 2-year program and must be conducted all across Kentucky, often many miles away from campus. University researchers placed cameras in the classrooms…

In this commentary, we revisit "NCLB and the Demand for Highly Qualified Teachers: Challenges and Solutions for Rural Schools," an article we published in this journal in 2005. We consider the predictions we made then about the impact of the Highly Qualified Teacher mandate on special education teacher (SET) shortages in rural states and…

The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly changed almost all aspects of people's everyday lives. This included new challenges in the education of Native American students with disabilities who live in rural and remote areas of the United States. Native American students with disabilities living on reservations are served by local schools, tribally…

National shortages of qualified personnel in the field of early childhood special education are well documented, with shortages magnified in regions characterized by poverty and rural geography. This article provides an overview of the challenges faced and innovations implemented by an alternate-track, personnel preparation program in Appalachian…

A survey of 21 superintendents and administrators of boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities in 12 rural northwestern Ohio counties examined problems in recruitment and retention of special education teachers and ancillary personnel and rural factors contributing to these problems. Recommends strategies to address personnel…

Notes shortages of speech-language pathologists and points out strategies that rural school administrators can use to increase the chances or recruiting and retaining them. Topics include knowledge of the professional requirements and competencies, knowledge of caseload size and selection criteria, availability of clinical fellowship supervisor,…

Montana developed an alternative certification program for special educators in response to severe personnel shortages in rural schools. Program strengths include 2 years of mentoring and flexibility in delivery that allows participants to earn certification while working. Evaluation results are presented along with suggested improvements, which…

Addresses the need to provide qualified special education personnel in rural school districts. Describes a flexible teacher training program that includes intensive short-term summer courses, correspondence course options, and relevant practicum experiences in rural areas. Presents demographic data from the first two years of field testing the…