An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the cornerstone for documenting the appropriate education being provided to students who qualify for special education and related services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. A growing group of students with a disability are students who are culturally and linguistically diverse and…

Special educators assume an essential leadership role in school-wide multilayered instructional systems for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse learners with and without disabilities, including learners at risk of being inappropriately referred for special education. Research findings from a model demonstration project are presented…

Competencies needed by teachers who provide language and literacy instruction to English learners (ELs), including bilingual education, English as a second language, general education, and special education teachers, are outlined. The competencies suggest a shared knowledge base all teachers of ELs must have to provide linguistically and…

This mixed methods descriptive study examined the effects of job-embedded professional development (JEPD) in reading on the content knowledge and instructional practice of teachers of English learners (ELs). Four first-grade teachers of ELs at one urban elementary school received JEPD over the course of a year. Results of pre- and posttests of…

Few teachers receive adequate preparation to provide effective individualized instruction for children with intensive early writing needs. In this article, the authors describe an attempt to close this learning gap, by developing Data-Based Instruction-Tools, Learning, and Collaborative Support (DBI-TLC), a comprehensive professional development…

Enhancing all students' academic performance continues to be a national priority, and although achievement gains have been made overtime, shortfalls in mathematics learning for students with disabilities (SWD) remain. Research reveals that a substantial portion of the variability in students' mathematics achievement gains is due to the teacher. To…

Improving inclusive middle school science teachers' vocabulary instruction is a critical step toward helping those professionals support the learning needs of all students. In this Institute of Education Sciences (IES)-funded project, inclusive science teachers received professional development using elements of a multimedia-based approach called…

In this article, the authors provide a response to the special issue on "The Science of Teacher Professional Development: Iterative Design Studies Across Content Areas." In doing so, they present the framework of professional development (PD) enactment developed by Mary Kennedy and apply it to the three studies highlighted in this…

General and special education teachers need to have an understanding of effective practices for providing vocabulary instruction to students with and without disabilities across grade levels and content areas. Preservice teachers in this study (N = 121) received training in evidence-based practices for vocabulary instruction via a series of three…

Teachers in inclusive preschool classrooms are required to provide supports and instruction to children with and without developmental delays. In addition, teachers are required to use research and evidence-based practices, such as naturistic instructional procedures. Despite a plethora of research on the effectiveness and utility of naturalistic…

In this study, the authors examine the impact of a community service learning course on undergraduate students' decisions to pursue careers as special education teachers or related service providers. Participants (N = 134) completed a course involving volunteer service with persons with disabilities in the local community and were surveyed as to…

In the past decade and a half, measurable outcomes of teacher performance and student achievement have moved to the forefront of education policy. Researchers have identified a gap in special education teacher preparation research and have called for the re-envisioning of current educational models, emphasizing a focus on effective methods in…

In the field of special education, attrition plays a major role in a persistent teacher shortage problem. Over the past few decades, researchers in general education and special education have investigated the various reasons why new teachers leave the field and ways in which they can be better supported to stay in their positions. Despite the…

Classroom observations are an integral component of teacher evaluation systems, but little is known about who is best qualified to observe and evaluate special educators, who have a specialized skillset, and whether observation instruments adequately reflect their instructional practices. In this study, 19 special education teachers in California…

Academics and behavior are inextricably linked, and as such, management of behavior should be considered not as an addition to the teacher's repertoire of skills but as an integral foundational component of effective instruction. Paradoxically, teachers report that students with challenging behavior are both their greatest challenge and that…