An Administrative Approach for Special Educator Retention

Special education teacher attrition is an ongoing area of concern across the US. One factor that influences special educator attrition and retention is administrative support. Unfortunately, administrators often enter school leadership positions with little or no background in special education, thus making it difficult to provide the much-needed support. This practitioner piece provides information and resources for school-based administrators to use to support special education teachers and students within their schools

Preparing Teachers with Core Content Expertise to Support Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities

In this paper, the authors describe a teacher preparation program in the area of moderate to severe disabilities with an emphasis in academic instruction. They present a rationale for their increased focus on academics, a description of the program’s design, and several challenges associated with its implementation. Further, they offer several considerations for iterative improvement of the program

A Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Framework for Improving Academic and Postsecondary Outcomes of Students with Moderate or Severe Intellectual Disability

The needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with moderate or severe intellectual disability (ID) are quite unique and complex. CLD students with moderate or severe ID face many of the same issues as their non-disabled CLD peers; however, due to the nature of their disability this may lead to even less access to the general curriculum, appropriate services, materials, and meaningful collaboration between families and educators. The purpose of this article is to provide a culturally responsive framework for facilitating academic instruction for CLD students with moderate or severe ID that also includes appropriate supports in an effort to increase access to postsecondary outcomes for this population. Suggestions for accessing the general curriculum and a discussion about increasing parental involvement and accessing appropriate adult agencies to further enhance these outcomes are provided

A Framework to Promote Postsecondary Outcomes for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Research has long demonstrated the discrepancies that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families and students with intellectual disability face within public schools as well as post-school outcomes. This presentation will highlight a culturally responsive framework that can prepare CLD families and their children to participate in postsecondary opportunities

Riding Fences

In lieu of an abstract, here the is editorial\u27s first paragraph: In the first issue of Volume 39, we are pleased to present a series of articles on English learners with special needs in rural settings. With the increased focus on English learners in special education settings in the past few decades, a gap within the literature, research, policy, and services exists as it relates to rural settings. At the forefront of informing the field, Rural Special Education Quarterly presents Part I of this guest-edited issue focusing on the strengths, challenges, and future directions of serving this growing population. This work stems from foci in culturally responsive practices, disproportionality, school partnerships, and other critical components when serving English learners in rural schools across the United States. Most importantly, we acknowledge that English learning is only part of the intersectionality of a student’s identity, and as such cannot be discussed or explored in silo, especially as it intersects with disability, culture, and life experiences. As a note, we would like to use the most recent terminology in the field of English learning and bilingual education and describe students whose native language is not English as English learners. The following paragraphs contain snippets of each article’s focus in this special issue

Department Chairs: Seasoned & New Department Level Leaders Share Their Experiences

The department chair position is the most critical role in a university. It is complex and filled with ambiguity. Seasoned and new department level leaders share journeys and strategies to address concerns/challenges/barriers for transitioning to leadership positions. Session offers potential/current academic leaders a forum to discuss challenges, strategies, and solutions

Building a Culturally Responsive Framework for Students with Intellectual Disability to Increase Postsecondary Outcomes

This session will provide a framework for assisting culturally and linguistically diverse students with moderate-severe intellectual disability. Strategies for general curriculum access, academic instruction, meaningful collaboration with families and educators, as well as suggestions for enhancing postsecondary outcomes will be provided. . 1. Participants will identify components of the proposed culturally responsive framework (universal design for learning, self-determination, safe learning environments, technology, multiple opportunities to respond, primary language support, integration of culture in learning, and systematic/explicit instruction) to assist CLD students with moderate-severe ID in the preparation of postsecondary opportunities. 2. Participants will summarize strategies to increase parental involvement during academic and transition planning. 3. Participants will identify various postsecondary opportunities that exist nationwide for students with moderate-severe ID