Special Education Teacher Retention

A state improvement grant will allow Iowa to set up a statewide liaison network to address the issue of retaining special education teachers, especially those who need to be certified. This is the first such outreach effort in Iowa and the first in-service initiative.

Nine professional educators were trained to supervise field-based practica for some 660 special ed teachers across the state who need to complete their provisional certification. Teachers will be prepared in their own classrooms. The practica portion of the certification is one piece of the course work for full special education certification. Other classes will be offered through a partnership of the three state universities. Some will be offered over the Iowa Communications Network, the state's f iberoptic communications system.

After the provisional special education teachers are fully certified, the nine professional educators will remain as part of a mentoring program for special education teachers to provide support and resources in a field with traditionally a high burn-o ut level.