ERIC Number: EJ1016967
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0014-4029
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Comparing Validity and Reliability in Special Education Title II and IDEA Data
Steinbrecher, Trisha D.; McKeown, Debra; Walther-Thomas, Chriss
Exceptional Children, v79 n3 p313-327 Spr 2013
Previous researchers have found that special education teacher shortages are pervasive and exacerbated by federal policies regarding "highly qualified" teacher requirements. The authors examined special education teacher personnel data from 2 federal data sources to determine if these sources offer a reliable and valid means of determining teacher shortages. Findings indicate that critical discrepancies exist at the state and national levels due to discrepancies between data sources, definitions, and missing data points. In addition, the number of not highly qualified special educators fluctuated widely by data source, possibly indicating an exponential rise in the use of long-term substitutes. Increased collaboration and coordination between state and federal agencies is recommended to ensure valid and reliable teacher qualification data collection and analysis.
Descriptors: Special Education, Special Education Teachers, Federal Legislation, Validity, Teacher Shortage, Educational Policy, Teacher Qualifications, Data Analysis, State Agencies, Public Agencies, Disabilities, Alternative Teacher Certification, School Districts, Definitions, Statistical Analysis
Council for Exceptional Children. 1110 North Glebe Road Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. Tel: 888-232-7733; Fax: 703-264-9494; e-mail: cecpubs@cec.sped.org; Web site: http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Publications1
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; No Child Left Behind Act 2001
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A