A High-Quality Teacher for Every Classroom. SPeNSE Summary Sheet.

Overview & Synopsis

This report from the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE) focuses on working conditions that affect special education teachers and how teachers acquire needed professional skills. The report found: (1) 80% of special education teachers serve students with two or more primary disabilities; (2) almost one-fourth of students served are from a cultural or linguistic group different from their teachers; (3) special education teachers serve fewer students (13 in PreK-6th grade and 25 in 7th-12th) than general educators; (4) the typical special education teacher works 53 hours per week and the typical general educator works 55 hours per week; (5) most general and special education teachers find their workload manageable, however, special education teachers tend to find their workload less manageable; (6) school climate is related to special education teachers workload manageability and intent to stay; (7) special education teachers who rated their preservice preparation as very good or exceptional considered themselves more successful and said their workload was more manageable; (8) special education teachers who judged the quality of their preservice preparation as very good or exceptional completed more weeks of student teaching; and (9) special education and general educators devoted considerable time to continuing professional development, averaging 59 and 65 hours in 1999-2000. (CR)