Who We Are
The Special Educator Workforce: A Research Collaborative (SPARC Center) conducts research and leads systemic change to strengthen the special educator workforce.
What We Do
Special education staffing problems are complex and multidimensional issues that cannot be easily resolved with a simple policy solution. Our mission is to conduct a mixed-methods program of research to inform policy. Our research focuses on four challenges facing the special educator workforce:
Composition
The special educator workforce is too small overall to meet demand, given the growing population of students with disabilities. Furthermore, the demographic makeup of the special educator workforce does not reflect demographics of students with disabilities.
Distribution
Experienced, skilled special education teachers are inequitably distributed across schools, with the most qualified and experienced personnel in the most affluent and predominantly White schools, exacerbating inequities in students’ access to strong teachers.
Stability
The special educator workforce is highly unstable, with consistently high attrition rates that challenge continuity in students’ services and in schoolwide improvement efforts.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the special educator workforce is insufficient for promoting positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
Our Collaborators
The SPARC Center team unites researchers and national leaders with extensive experience using statewide longitudinal data systems and supporting policymakers.
