Access to Qualified Special Educators Across Elementary Neighborhood and Exclusionary Schools

In this study, we investigate the distribution of qualified special educators across elementary neighborhood schools and exclusionary public and private special education schools. Using the 2011–2012 Schools and Staffing Survey, we provide a descriptive analysis of measurable teacher qualifications (e.g., years of experience, preparation type, degree, formal preparation, certification) across the three settings of interest. Findings indicate that each type of school relies heavily on special educators who lack qualifications in special education. Furthermore, special educators in neighborhood schools were statistically significantly more qualified in terms of experience, degrees, and special education certification than special educators in public and private exclusionary special education schools. These findings have important implications for policy makers, school leaders, and researchers.