Refueling the STEM and special education teacher pipelines

Abstract

Improving the quality of the teacher workforce is high on the nation’s education policy agenda, but school systems continue to face difficulties in staffing STEM and special education classrooms with qualified teachers. This article documents the mismatch between the supply and demand of STEM and special education teachers in Washington State, where almost 4,000 more STEM and special education teachers have left the profession than have been produced by in-state teacher training institutions over the past 25 years. There are a number of potential solutions to this problem, including differential pay systems, reduced barriers to entry, and incentives for teacher training institutions.