Increasing Enrollment and Diversity in Special Education Preparation Through Grow Your Own Programs

Abstract

Although the teacher education shortage is at an all-time high across the United States, particularly in the field of Special Education, an innovative, multitiered approach can help colleges and universities address this scarcity. Teacher preparation programs can bolster their recruitment, training, and delivery of high-quality special educators while also focusing on diversifying the special education teacher workforce. This paper will present a step-by-step approach to address the special education teacher shortage through a Grow Your Own Model. Using this approach as a blueprint for success, systems of higher education can help address the current special education teacher shortage crisis.