According to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (2004), the United States is lacking 41,141 certified special educators. Texas is no exception to the national trend; in Texas alone, there is a shortage of 5,024 certified special educators (U.S. Department of Special Education). Any successful remediation of this shortage starts with the recruitment and education of special education college majors or other undergraduate majors that lead into teaching. Therefore, this study sought to analyze the effectiveness of recruitment methods implemented by eight Texas universities in order to focus a statewide recruitment agenda. Overall, this study identified the success or failure of recruitment strategies employed by eight Texas universities to increase interest in the major of special education at the undergraduate level. Analyses of student opinions indicated that contact with individuals with disabilities and participation in peer-support groups for individuals with disabilities were the most important determinants of their choice to pursue a major in special education. Results also indicate that recruiting already enrolled college students to transfer into the special education major should focus on media presentations that encourage education, business, and early childhood development majors to switch into special education. The survey results in this study are not unique to the eight universities and the Texas Regent's Initiative recruitment drive. Implementing the results of data driven decision-making based on the effectiveness of university recruitment practices is one way to combat the national shortage in certified special educators. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)