Poster #144 - Emergency Teacher Certifications in Special Education: Implications for Teachers and Their Students

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

While SET shortages predate the pandemic (Bettini et al., 2020), recent data shows 48 states reporting critical vacancies, with many positions filled by underqualified teachers (NCES, 2022; Nguyen et al., 2022). The COVID-19 crisis exacerbated these trends (Goldhaber & Theobald, 2023), leading to an influx of educators entering the profession through emergency routes (Bacher-Hicks et al., 2023). Emergency licensure allows individuals to teach with minimal certification requirements, typically needing only a bachelor’s degree, and this license can be renewed annually, despite contradicting IDEA's (2004) mandate that special educators be fully licensed. Indiana has issued emergency licenses for teacher shortages since the 1960s, but ceased issuing emergency licenses in special education after 2021-2022 (Indiana Department of Ed, n.d.) 

This expansion of emergency licensure raises critical questions about educational equity. While research confirms these policies have helped address staffing crises generally (Backes & Goldhaber, 2023; Bacher-Hicks et al., 2023), we lack crucial evidence about their distributional consequences: Which schools and student populations disproportionately rely on emergency-credentialed special educators? This gap is particularly concerning given established patterns showing underqualified teachers cluster in high-need schools (Mason-Williams, 2015; Lai et al., 2021), potentially compounding existing inequities in special education service delivery. However, no studies specifically examine emergency-licensed SETs—a critical gap given their minimal preparation pathways and policy context. Indiana's recent discontinuation of special education emergency licenses creates a timely opportunity to understand how this policy shaped the SET workforce and its distribution across school contexts. 

Using a rich dataset from Indiana that spans the years 2012 to 2021, we examine several key research questions: (1) How have the proportions of special education teachers (SETs) on emergency licenses changed over time? (2) To what extent do SETs on emergency licenses differ from their non-emergency licensed peers in terms of school characteristics? (3) What differences exist in instructional settings for SETs on emergency licenses compared to those with full certification? (4) How do the students served by emergency-licensed SETs differ from those served by fully certified teachers? 

Our findings reveal an increase in the number of SETs working under emergency licenses, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, nearly one in five SETs in Indiana held emergency licenses. These teachers are more likely to work in schools that serve economically disadvantaged students, with higher proportions of students of color and students with disabilities. Additionally, emergency-licensed SETs are disproportionately placed in self-contained settings, which typically serve students with more significant disabilities such as autism, intellectual disabilities, and emotional or behavioral disorders. This contrasts with traditionally licensed SETs, who are more likely to work in resource or inclusion settings where students receive instruction alongside their general education peers. 

These findings carry important policy implications as states grapple with balancing immediate staffing needs against the long-term imperative to provide all students with access to fully qualified special educators.

Author

• Tashnuva Shaheen, Binghamton University (SUNY-Binghamton)
  Presenting Author