SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION

Special Education teachers in Public education

Special Education teachers in Public education

1. Increase the number of programs in Colleges and Universities providing teacher education for Special Educators.

Within the last 30 odd years, institutions of higher education have been encouraged to diversify their campuses by increasing the number of ethnically diverse faculty on campus. As a result, many colleges and universities began to seek ways to entice faculty of underrepresented groups to their campuses.

In 1973, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), strongly encouraged institutions to implement practices such as affirmative action to” improve the quality of higher education by promoting diversity in the faculty, and the student body''. The AAUP believed that colleges and universities should maintain diverse faculties and” argues that the necessity of diversity is stronger in higher education than in any other context, but only if diversity is understood as a means to an end. The ultimate product of universities is education in the broadest sense, including preparation for life in the working world. As part of this education, students learn from face-to-face interaction with faculty members and with one another both inside and outside the classroom. (Avramidis, 2000, 191)

Position openings are remaining unfilled on many campuses. This phenomenon is illustrated by the results of a survey conducted by American Associations of College of Teacher Education (AACTE) to study faculty vacancies and applicant pools, it was reported that of the 408 surveys returned, 368 programs had openings. (Avramidis, 2000, 191) The openings had increased by 34%, however the number of applicants per opening decreased by 19%. Survey participants also reported failed searches in eight-areas including special education (Castle & Arends, 2000). With the apparent shortage of special education applicants and the increasing number of faculty vacancies in special education, we may be quickly approaching a state of emergency. This shortage is further compounded when specific requests are being made to recruit ethnically diverse teacher education faculty from an apparent shrinking pool. (Avramidis, 2000, 191)

Special Initiatives, Affirmative Action and Equitable Practices

The desire to have more faculty members from underrepresented groups clearly exists, yet there may be the concern over whether special initiatives to attract ethnically and diverse faculty and incentives for special groups are equitable practices. (Berliner, 2005) Another concern is the workload of faculty from underrepresented groups and their role as colleagues. (Berliner, 2005)

Some initiatives or solutions may be in direct conflict with current university policies and/or practices. For example affirmative action practices are being challenged, and because of these challenges, programs that promote diversity may becoming a thing of the past. Many universities are becoming more reluctant to implement practices that were an outgrowth of affirmative action programs. (Avramidis, 2000, 191)

Supply and Demand

Many historically white institutions, historically black universities and colleges, and community colleges are competing for the same pool of candidates (Fields, 2000; Manzo, 2000). Ironically it is difficult to compete when the demand is greater than the supply; many institutions are left with unfilled ...