As funding changes for U.S. schools, special education classes may lose much-needed resources

WASHINGTON — More American children are qualifying for special education, but research shows they need more support in the classroom.

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While millions of children are qualified for special education services in schools, there aren’t enough teachers there to support them.

Now, families are worried the shortage will get even worse once the pandemic-era funding runs out this fall.

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Action News Jax’s Washington Correspondent Nicole D’Antonio spoke to advocates about the growing push to combat these classroom shortages.

Nearly 1 in 5 public schools said they weren’t fully staffed in special education classrooms in 2023.

Meanwhile, researchers say more children than ever qualify for their assistance with more than 7.5 million students registered as needing special education services during the 2022-2023 school year.

That’s about 15% of students in K-12 schools.

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As pandemic-era funding runs out in the fall, there’s a concern that the staffing shortages will get worse.

“Unfortunately, it does not surprise me. Schools are underfunded, school districts are underfunded. They are not gaining resources that they need. They are absolutely vital to kids with special needs,” Dr. A. Jordan Wright, Parallel Learning, a virtual learning platform, told Action News Jax.

Wright said schools need to get more creative when it comes to connecting students with professionals, and they also need to identify which students need help earlier.

“At the end of the day, we need to do probably more early intervention,” Wright said. “We need to identify kids earlier and give them a leg up. Giving them extra resources and extra instruction and targeted instruction.”

Read: Survey: 60% of teachers are afraid to go to school

The teacher shortage isn’t just affecting special education.

About 86% of K-12 public schools reported having trouble hiring teachers in all fields in 2023. Many states are now offering incentives to help recruit new teachers, as well as retain them.

In Georgia and Florida, the legislatures and Governors Kemp and DeSantis recently approved raises for teachers and retention bonuses, but some say it may not be enough.

Read: Study shows violence against teachers increased after pandemic restrictions lifted

Action News Jax investigated earlier this year about conditions for teachers across the U.S.

The survey conducted of more than 8,000 teachers nationwide found that violent violent encounters with students were normal. Many said a shortage of special education resources and delays in placement were partially to blame for violent behavior, especially for younger children.

More than 60% of the teachers surveyed said they’ve considered retiring, or even quitting, because of those encounters.

CLICK HERE for more information about the investigation.

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