New Grant from Department of Education Will Support 45 Teachers to Advance Their Careers in High-Needs Disability Education

Special education is one of six fields significantly threatened by teacher shortages, according to the Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing from the federal government for 2015-16. With the help of a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) is addressing this shortage by launching a new online master’s program in secondary transition service. The program will train teachers working with students with high-needs disabilities as they transition from K-12 into adulthood. 

 

Starting spring 2017, the program will provide partial financial aid for 45 master’s program students during the next five years. The new nationally recognized degree program is made possible by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004, which called for states and local education agencies to identify practices that coordinate activities for students with disabilities in alignment with the general secondary education curriculum. 

 

The program stands out because it is one of few in the nation and is the first to combine transition services with a focus in acute brain injury and autism. This is an important area of education that needs support: Students with acute brain injury and autism have been identified as high-need target populations by the U.S. Department of Education and most state education agencies. Additionally, it is the first program offered online of its kind, which will help reach teachers in rural areas where there may be inadequate professional development opportunities. 

 

The program is open to current teachers and non-teachers alike, and meets the “Guideposts for Success” established by the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth. It also meets the Council for Exceptional Children’s transition standards. 

 

“We are honored by the Department of Education’s acknowledgment of our special expertise in this area, and are very much looking forward to making a significant contribution toward addressing special education teacher shortages nationwide,” said Michael Feuer, dean of GSEHD. “One of our main goals as a school is to prepare future educators committed to expanding opportunities and transforming the lives of their students.” 

 

This new program comes at an important time for educating students identified with brain injury and autism spectrum disorder, as the first large wave of such students is approaching graduation. In order to change the outcomes for these students, evidence-informed practices must be used in teacher preparation programs serving this population, according to education experts. 

 

“There is widespread agreement that when it comes to educating teachers who support students with high-needs disabilities, the type and rigor of training is essential,” said Carol Kochhar-Bryant, GSEHD senior associate dean.

 

GW’s new 36-credit online master’s degree program will prepare educators to align the secondary general education curriculum with community-based learning and transition services and to promote the success of all students by nurturing and sustaining school cultures and instructional programs. This new program builds on a strong track record of graduate-level special education expertise at GW. 

 

Recruitment efforts will be consistent with the White House’s Ready to Work initiative and will specifically target working professionals, people with children, career switchers— for instance, a psychologist who has not taught, but wants to become a teacher—and people living in geographically isolated areas. This nationally recognized program is open to any prospective student nationwide who has already earned a bachelor’s degree, and will provide the master’s-level work and teacher certification needed to apply for a job at any school district in the country.

 

“Teachers are often deterred from pursuing graduate programs, especially in special education, because they are inconvenient and costly,” said Dr. Kochhar-Bryant. “We hope that by equipping more passionate and qualified teachers with the latest research and practices in these areas, we can help improve learning outcomes for students with high-needs disabilities.”  

 

The program’s first cohort will begin spring 2017, with future cohorts continuing during the next five years. Those who wish to enroll in this program can apply online.