THE PRESIDENT'S PEN
by Susan Clark, VCASE President
March 7, 2008

As special education leaders, it is essential that we support new teachers in their professional learning either directly or through their school-based administrators. Record numbers of licensed special education teachers leave the field each year for various reasons. A national survey of over 1,000 special educators conducted by CEC indicated that deficient working conditions contribute to the high rate of special educators leaving the field and substandard quality of education for students with disabilities (CEC, 2004). In our current climate of elevated academic standards, high-stakes assessments, emotional and behavioral problems of students, and excessive paperwork requirements, the likelihood of more leaving special education is apparent. Additionally, when professional qualifications and work conditions are not as favorable, teachers are likely to experience fewer rewards and thus reduced commitment (Billingsley, 2003).

With the shortages of licensed special education teachers, many school divisions have been implementing alternative, or emergency licensure at increasing rates (Virginia Department of Teacher Education and Licensure, 2000). These practices continue throughout Virginia, but raise several questions for us as leaders. How effective are these teachers? How do we enhance their professional development to ensure that the educational needs of students are being met?

Nougaret (2004) observed twenty fully licensed and twenty non-traditionally licensed special education teachers from several school divisions. He used Charlotte Danielson’s (1996) Framework for Professional Practice as the instrument for conducting the study. Three of the 4 domains and components in each domain were used for all observations and included 1) preparation and planning, 2) classroom environment, and 3) instruction. Nougaret concluded that first-year traditionally licensed teachers outperformed first-year provisionally licensed teachers. What was surprising from the study was that both groups of teachers rated themselves similarly on a self-reporting instrument suggesting that provisionally licensed teachers believed they performed as well as traditionally trained teachers, and were not even aware of their own deficiencies.

These findings hit home with me as I can remember “believing” that I was a strong teacher. I felt connected with my kids, managed the classroom well, received good evaluations from my principal, and was dedicated. In retrospect, I definitely lacked the content knowledge, I didn’t have the curriculum and materials that “everyone else” had, often taught in less than ideal facilities, and professional development meant making it to a conference every now and then. Although that was twenty years ago, and I had completed a master’s degree in special education, I’m not convinced all has changed.

These findings also reinforce the significance of leadership. Among school-related factors and the impact on student learning, leadership is second only to teaching. Something as simple as consistent visibility within classrooms positively influences how teachers perform. Having high expectation for our teachers and holding them accountable impacts how they perform (Marzano, 2002). When we develop people and provide necessary supports, teachers will become more effective. The professional development that we provide for our special educators must focus on the subject matter, align their real work experiences using actual curriculum, materials, and assessments, and offer extended opportunities to learn, with time for reflection and follow-up with colleagues. These teachers are likely to be our future special education leaders, so let us establish and maintain high standards for them, and our students will surely benefit.