Pitt’s School of Ed wins $4 million in grants to encourage more special ed teachers and leaders

“In the next five years, 60 to 70 percent of [special education faculty] are predicted to retire, so we won’t have the leadership capability to continue preparing quality special-ed teachers,” says Christopher Lemons, assistant professor in the University of PittsburghSchool of Education. “There is a high need for both specialists in autism and highly qualified special-ed teachers in middle and high schools. The need for leadership is very apparent in this field.”

One solution lies in $4 million in funding recently awarded to the Department of Instruction and Learning in Pitt’s School of Ed from the U.S. Department of Education to create a trio of five-year programs focused on teacher preparation. Lemons is involved in two of the programs.

The first project, “Apprenticeship in Special Education Instruction, Research, and Leadership,” or ASPIRE, will train full-time doctoral candidates to provide in-service and pre-service preparation for teachers who serve high-need students with disabilities.

“Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Autism Specialization,” the second project, will train master’s students in early intervention and early childhood special education, where the need is especially great to serve children under 5 in both cities and suburbs.

The final project. “Restructuring and Improving Special Education” (RISE), will revamp Pitt’s pre-K to grade 8 program in special education by creating a dual certification master’s level program in special education and secondary content areas. Lemons points out that, under No Child Left Behind, special ed teachers currently need both special ed and content area certifications.

“There is a stronger understanding overall that children with disabilities can be educated in a general education setting” today, he adds, which means that more teachers overall need the appropriate training. “It is encouraging that Pitt is really being seen as a promising area for teacher education and training. That is very exciting for the School of Education. All three [projects] should encourage people who want to become teachers or leaders in the field to look at Pitt.”

Writer: Marty Levine

Source: Christopher Lemons, University of Pittsburgh School of Education