A Person of Great Potential: A Review of Literature of Alternate Special Education Licensure

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Preparing the Next Generation of Experts

Abstract

The most vulnerable students in our nation’s education system are those with disabilities. The National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services (NCPSSERS, 2018) posits, the training of quality special educators should be a top priority in our country. While many states have developed alternate certification (AC) for special educators, there are no national standards for these programs resulting in varying degrees of recruitment and retention (Karge & McCabe, 2014). This review of literature was conducted to examine existing pathways for alternatively certifying special education teachers. The purpose was to inform discussion on how alternative certification programs might be best designed to ensure we are truly solving the problem of teacher shortage.

Authors

• Heidi R. Cornell, Wichita State University

• Donna M. Sayman, Wichita State University

• Jennifer Stone, Wichita State University