The nationwide shortage of special educators is well documented. Preparedness is a key component of building self-efficacy and longevity in the PK-12 teaching field (Clark & Newberry, 2019; Darling-Hammond et al., 2002; Ingersol et al., 2012; Ondrasek et al., 2020). This qualitative study examined the preparedness of novice special education…

It is estimated that up to 13% of children have been exposed to three or more adverse childhood experiences. The problem addressed by this study was the lack of adequate and appropriate teacher preparation in the support needed to combat the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences which can inadvertently intensify the academic,…

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist institutions of higher education (IHEs), states, and local districts. During a 5-year period, OSEP…

The practice of inclusion as a response to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act means that English teachers teach students who demonstrate a wide range of abilities in the same classroom. This qualitative study explored the developing attitudes toward differentiation of English education teacher candidates participating in a methods…

In this study, the authors represent an exploratory investigation of current preparation of preservice teachers related to response to intervention (RTI) in institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) Regional Resource and Federal Centers (RRFCs) North Central Region and Pennsylvania. In this study,…

This article invites all educators to consider the implementation of the tenets of Invitational Education (IE) as a firm foundation and precursor upon which can be built an Inclusive Education climate and mindset which encourages success for all students. This eighteen month study of two professors from Ohio's Muskingum University shares from…

This study employed a Likert-type survey, "Praxis/Pathwise" written observations, as well as guided and open-ended reflections to assess the perceptions of preparedness for the first year of teaching for special education student teaching candidates. Cooperating teachers completed the survey and "Praxis/Pathwise" observations.…

The purpose of this study was to analyze teachers' perceptions of their ability to instruct students with disabilities. A statewide survey was administered in Ohio to pre-service and in-service teachers regarding their perceptions of their teacher preparation programs and their respective ability to instruct students with special needs. Question…