Deborah Deutsch Smith

A Follow-up Study of Recent Special Education Graduates of Learning Disabilities Programs

This study investigated the postschool vocational and community adjustment of recent special education graduates from a southwestern metropolitan school district, Sixty-four students with learning disabilities (LD) who had attended self-contained classes at 12 high schools were randomly selected. A questionnaire, administered either via the telephone or in person, was the source of data. Thirty-eight of the LD sample were in competitive employment. In general, the LD students received very few community services. For the most part, they received no agency support after graduation. Most of the LD subjects lived with parents or other relatives and most had a drivers license and car. Implications for postsecondary services and future research are discussed.

The Changing Education Landscape: How Special Education Leadership Preparation Can Make a Difference for Teachers and Their Students with Disabilities.

The roles and obligations of teacher educators have expanded substantially in recent years. Expectations have increased because of national concerns about the overall achievement results of all students and because of specific federal mandates—expressed in reauthorizations of the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004—about students with disabilities and their access to the general education curriculum and their increased, successful participation in inclusive educational settings. Complicated by the chronic and persistent shortage of special educators and the imperative that general educators have increased skills to address the needs of all struggling learners, demands on special education college and university faculty have magnified. However, the nation continues to face a shortage of faculty who can generate new knowledge about effective practices, translate such research findings into teacher preparation programs’ curriculum, and prepare a sufficient supply of new and highly skilled teachers. In this article, the authors discuss the current policy landscape, connections between the shortage of teachers and the shortage of special education faculty, and the role of the federal government in addressing these shortages. They conclude with a call for national dialogue—necessary so that the continuing cycle of faculty shortages and resulting shortages of those who directly serve students with disabilities may finally be resolved.

The Supply and Demand of Special Education Faculty Members: Will the Supply Meet the Demand?.

Faculty must be available to prepare sufficient numbers of new special educators. The supply of special education, doctoral-level faculty members who can prepare personnel to serve the nations handicapped may, however, be insufficient to meet future needs. Surveys completed by special education department chairpersons and their faculties indicate that a considerable number of retirements will occur in the near future. The resulting openings, added to potential new positions created because of high demand for special education coursework, could result in many faculty vacancies, affecting in turn the preparation of personnel needed to provide quality services to the nations handicapped children and youth and their families. The data collected in this pilot project justify efforts to amass a comprehensive data base on special education faculties and the personnel they train. In particular, data about special education doctoral level personnel, their numbers, and what roles they fill must be collected to determine whether the supply will meet future demands.

Doctoral Students in Special Education: Characteristics and Career Aspirations.

This study was part of a comprehensive investigation on the supply and demand of special education faculty (see also Sindelar & Rosenberg; Pion, Smith & Tyler; and Smith, Pion, Tyler, & Gilmore, this issue). Students enrolled in doctoral programs during the Spring of 1999 were surveyed about their doctoral programs, educational background, experiences in applying to doctoral programs in special education, current doctoral study, post-graduation plans, and background information. The survey had an 82% response rate (1,267 students). The study found that doctoral students were older and their primary consideration in selecting a doctoral program was not having to relocate. Overall, students were fairly satisfied with the training they received in research skills, less so in areas of college teaching, administration/supervision, and cultural and linguistic diversity. Additionally, less than half (44%) were interested in faculty positions after graduation.

Special Education Leadership: Supply and Demand Revisited

Since 1985, the Higber Education Consortium for Special education (HECSE) has followed the supply and demand needs of special education professionals at universities. A survey was developed and sent to all special education doctoral training programs. The survey yielded results that add to the existing data base on the continuing need for leadership personnel at the university level. Of particular note were the seemingly lower enrollments at IHEs as well as the growing number of doctoral graduates taking positions outside of higher education.

Career Choices of Recent Doctorates in Special Education: Their Implications for Addressing Faculty Shortages.

The insufficient supply of special education doctorate recipients to meet the demand for higher education faculty has been a chronic problem. One reason for the continued shortfall has been the low proportion of new graduates who pursue academic careers. In order to explore the factors underlying the career choices of recently trained leadership personnel, a survey of individuals who earned their doctorates between 1994 and 1998 was conducted in fall 1999. The results revealed that there has been no sign of growth in the proportion that moved into faculty positions. In sharp contrast to the estimated 85% of individuals who earned their degrees in the 1960s and took faculty appointments, approximately 36% of 1994–98 doctorate recipients were employed full-time in tenure-line positions. Although several reasons contribute to this situation, the most influential involved the age at beginning doctoral study, the career aspirations of beginning doctoral students, the extent to which they received institutional support to finance their training, and their ability to relocate after graduation. These factors point to the need for doctoral programs to vigorously recruit new doctoral students at a younger age, provide them with adequate financial support during their training, and streamline the educational process so as to reduce the time between receipt of the baccalaureate and awarding of the doctorate.

Career Choices of Recent Special Education Graduates Holding Doctoral Degrees

The supply of and demand for special education professionals in institutions of higher education (IHEs) has been studied since 1986, and the results of these studies indicate a great imbalance in the supply and demand for special education faculty. Because the field faces a substantial shortage, this research facused on the career choices of new special education doctoral graduates. Doctoral graduates from 3 year period were surveyed to determine their demographic make-up, where they took positions, and their relocation patterns to attend doctaral pragrams and to take their first positions We found that 42% of new graduates did not take positions in IHEs after completing their doctoral studies. Although 58% took jobs in IHEs, only 37% accepted positions as tenure-track faculty members. Also, new graduates did not change their career goals from their admission into their doctoral pragram, and those taking positions in IHEs were more likely to move to accept a position.

Career Decisions of Doctoral Graduates in Special Education.

The number of special education faculty vacancies in institutions of higher education (IHEs) has risen across the last decade (Dil, Geiger, Hoover, & Sindelar, 1993; Sindelar & Taylor, 1988; Smith & Lovett, 1987; Smith, Pierce & Keyes, 1988). In contrast, the number of doctoral graduates in special education decreased during the same period of time (Sindelar, Buck, Carpenter & Watanabe, 1993; Sindelar & Taylor, 1988). This supply/demand imbalance has plagued the field for years and warrants continued investigation. The present study surveyed 146 recent graduates from special education doctoral programs on issues including motivating factors for obtaining a doctoral degree, considerations when selecting initial careers, and the effects of marriage and family on those decisions. Factors which encouraged and discouraged employment in higher education were investigated, and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.The number of special education faculty vacancies in institutions of higher education (IHEs) has risen across the last decade (Dil, Geiger, Hoover, & Sindelar, 1993; Sindelar & Taylor, 1988; Smith & Lovett, 1987; Smith, Pierce & Keyes, 1988). In contrast, the number of doctoral graduates in special education decreased during the same period of time (Sindelar, Buck, Carpenter & Watanabe, 1993; Sindelar & Taylor, 1988). This supply/demand imbalance has plagued the field for years and warrants continued investigation. The present study surveyed 146 recent graduates from special education doctoral programs on issues including motivating factors for obtaining a doctoral degree, considerations when selecting initial careers, and the effects of marriage and family on those decisions. Factors which encouraged and discouraged employment in higher education were investigated, and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.

The State of Special Education Leadership Training and College and University Faculty: What We Know and What We Don't.

Predictions that the field of special education was going to face a shortage of faculty were made in the late 1980s, but no concentrated efforts were made to stave off this supply and demand imbalance. The result is a problem today and the likelihood of an even more substantial problem in the years to come. Simply put, the demand for the product (special education doctoral graduates) is in excess of the supply. Doctoral programs are producing fewer graduates, and more and more of those graduates do not seek careers as faculty members across the nation. There are many identified reasons for this situation, but not all of the factors contributing to this problem have been studied. Regardless, it is critical that the field come to understand the independent and compounding variables contributing to faculty shortages and begin to develop strategies, direct incentives, and initiatives that will solve the problem. This article provides a synthesis of the research conducted to-date, and outlines topics that must be studied so stakeholders can better understand the situation.

Labeling Preschoolers as Learning Disabled: A Cautionary Position:

The purpose of this article is to explore the issues concerning the adaptation of school-based service delivery concepts for use in early childhood special education programs. The use of categorical labels for determining eligibility for preschool children is not required by law—and may be detrimental. The following concerns are discussed: (a) definitional issues in learning disabilities versus low achievement, (b) the dangers of labeling and low expectation sets, (c) repeated failure to demonstrate movement through a continuum of services (particularly to least restrictive environments), and (d) the efficacy of early intervention and school-based special services for those with mild or suspected developmental disabilities. Research is reviewed concerning definitional and assessment issues utilizing learning disabilities as a construct. Alternatives for describing the characteristics of young children who are significantly at risk or developmentally delayed are provided.