Special education

              INTERIM STUDY REPORT
Common Education Committee
Rep. Ann Coody, Chairman
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Interim Study 12-010, Rep. Coody and Rep. Denney
October 4, 2012
Special Education
Justin Milner
Norman Public Schools, director of special services
jmilner@norman.k12.ok.us
o In an informal poll, 102 school districts responded and reported 203.5 special education
teacher vacancies.
o Nine Oklahoma universities only reported 32 special education teacher graduates.
o In a survey of about 10 percent of Oklahoma districts taken at the fall conference for
special services directors, districts reported that most vacancies are filled by hiring long-term
substitutes who have no special education certification and may not have bachelor’s
degrees.
o There is a shortage of about 29,000 special education teachers across the nation.
o Under Oklahoma law, we cannot prepare special education teachers through alternative
or non-traditional routes. The law needs to be amended to allow at least one new process
to provide a route to special education certification for alternatively-certified teachers.
o Requested an additional 5 percent in salary for teachers who work with severe/profound
range students and those who teach those with autism or emotional disturbance in a
special education setting for more than 80 percent of the day. This would be on top of the
5 percent that special education teachers already receive.
o Tuition waivers for coursework to become certified special education teachers could help
increase the number of teachers as could pay incentives for longevity.
Laura Bixler
East Central University, professor of special education
lbixler@ecok.edu
o The reason many people go into special education is because of a family connection. The
pool of people who go into the field is small.
o The number of graduates expected is small. For 2012-13, 65 are expected to graduate
from Oklahoma universities with a degree in special education for the mild/moderate
category. For the severe/profound category, seven graduates are expected. For deaf and
hearing impaired category, four graduates are expected.