Presented is a report to the Washington State Legislature on the quality of special education teacher training programs in Washington. School districts offering special education services and 10 colleges offering relevant teacher training were surveyed. Described are special education degree programs offered in Washington at the Associate, Baccalaureate, Master's, and Doctoral levels. Major findings of the study include a belief by school districts that more of the personnel selection process should take place at the preservice level, the preference of school districts for special education personnel with strong backgrounds in basic skills, and a common belief of districts that college faculty know little of district programs and problems. Provided are definitions of terms such as cooperating teacher. The following recommendations are summarized: (1) that graduation requirements of special education teacher training programs include a greater variety of practical experiences, (2) that teacher training institutions determine criteria for assessing student competence, (3) that regular communications between teacher training institutions and user districts be established, (4) that training needs of regular teachers involved in mainstreaming be met, and (5) that 4-year institutions ensure that their graduates understand the role of the trained paraprofessional. Appended are the text of a state bill mandating public education for all handicapped children, the introduction to a document giving guidelines for teacher training programs, and the text of the Senate resolution authorizing the survey. (DB)