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Shortage of special education teachers causing ripple effects for students, advocates say

There are nearly 400 special education positions open in Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Linkedin, ZipRecruiter and Indeed all show nearly 400 open special education positions in Tennessee. That means all of those teaching spots are empty as this school year starts.

But, Tennessee isn't the only state with this issue. In fact, 48 other states report shortages as well. The only states that aren't reporting shortages are New Mexico and New Hampshire.

In Knox County, there are 13 special education positions open. Jeff Strand with the Tennessee Disability Coalition said that's a big problem.

"When we don't have enough trained special-ed teachers, we're denying those kids the opportunity of achieving education just like their general-ed peers," Strand said.

Education is a protected right for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures them free, quality public education in Tennessee.

"Little by little, chip by chip, that the quality of their overall education and over the course of the years is gonna be really, really, incredibly diminished," Strand said.

Strand was a special education teacher in Franklin, Minnesota. He is familiar with the demands of the job.

"It's a really hard job. You put in a lot of hours, you put in a lot of time, effort, you expend a lot emotionally with these students," Strand said.

He said those challenges, along with having to pinch pennies, are enough to deter a lot of qualified folks from these positions.

The average salary for special education teachers in Knox County is between $41,000 and $43,000 per year.

"You put a lot into a classroom, you don't see a lot of public respect, you don't see a lot of respect in your wallet. You pretty much put everything you have into that classroom," Strand said.

Knox County, like many other districts, is trying to be proactive about the shortage. Right now, they're offering a $7,000 signing bonus for new special education teachers.

Stand said incentives like that go a long way for folks. However, the potential for greater pay goes further.

"It may not look like it when you're giving a teacher higher wages or investing in a new curriculum, but really, that's an investment in our kids," Strand said. "Our money goes where our heart is, and if that's not with the kids then we need to take a longer look at ourselves."

The shortage is weighing heavy on schools, students, families and advocacy organizations. However, the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement plan requires each increase in education funding to come with an increase in pay.

RELATED: Rising prices could reduce value of teacher pay raises from new state education funding formula

"I'm still really encouraged by the approach that Tennessee's taking. They're not sitting back and saying there's nothing we can do about this," Strand said. "The new school funding formula has promise. It associates more funds with students with special needs, it increases teacher salaries, it gives incentives to improve special-ed programs."

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