The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is launching a program to attract and retain special education teachers, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. The program addresses current shortages, as around 50% of Wisconsin’s new special education teachers leave the field after just a few years.
The Special Education Induction Program will provide coaching and mentorship sessions this fall to 300 first- or second-year special education teachers. The program will be funded for the next three years by a federal Individuals with Disabilities Education grant. Following that, retention data will be analyzed to determine the program’s future.
The U.S. Department of Education says 48 states have struggled with developing and keeping a qualified special education workforce for upwards of 20 years. According to DPI, special education teachers are 2.5 times more likely to leave the profession than general education teachers.
Wisconsin’s 12 Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA) will each select 25 teachers for the program. Participating districts will receive as much as $1,500 per participant to offset the cost associated with program participation.
