How do school leaders support special educators, and how do special educators grow into leadership roles? During our webinar last week, presenters shared insights from three states that dive into these questions. Here are a few key takeaways:

Our webinar next week will explore the results of three studies of school leaders’ prior experience in #SpecialEducation, and what the results mean for supporting special educators. 📅 May 18 at 2pm ET 🔗 Register: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

💡School leaders play a key role in supporting special educators, but how many of them have #SpecialEducation experience? We will explore what the research reveals in our next webinar with Abby Foley, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, LaRon Scott, and Jinseok Shin: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

How often do special educators become school leaders? During our upcoming webinar, Abby Foley, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, LaRon Scott, and Jinseok Shin will discuss our findings. Register to attend: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

📢 Applications for the SPARC Scholars Program close soon! We look forward to collaborating with a new cohort of early-career researchers to conduct rigorous, policy-relevant research. Apply by May 1: sparccenter.org/sparc-center...

In our upcoming webinar, we'll explore three studies with implications for how school leaders create school leadership pathways for #SpecialEducation teachers. Speakers include Abby Foley, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, LaRon Scott, and Jinseok Shin. Register: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Join us for an upcoming webinar discussing recent findings about #SpecialEducation teachers moving into leadership positions in VA, WA, & TX. Speakers include LaRon Scott, Abby Foley, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, and Jinseok Shin. 🗓️May 18th, 2 PM ET 🔗Register: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Applications for the SPARC Scholars Program are due on May 1st. To learn more about this opportunity, join @lmasonwms.bsky.social for an upcoming Q&A session. 📅Wednesday, April 15th ⏰ 4:00 pm EST 🔗Register: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Are you interested in applying for the SPARC Center Scholars Program but have questions or want to learn more? Attend our Q&A Session on April 15 at 4pm ET hosted by @lmasonwms.bsky.social. 🔗Register now: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The SPARC Center Scholars Program is a unique opportunity for early career researchers interested in the #SpecialEducation workforce. @lmasonwms.bsky.social shares more in this video: Apply by 5/1: sparccenter.org/sparc-center...

💡We’ve been busy! This month, our experts presented at the conferences of @cecmembership.bsky.social & @aefpweb.bsky.social. It's always valuable to share findings, learn from others, and bring back feedback that strengthens our work.

At #AEFP2026 & interested in #SpecialEducation research? Join SPARC Center experts @lizbettini.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, @lmasonwms.bsky.social & @roddy-theobald.bsky.social for a conversation group tomorrow at 4:30 pm in the Zurich D Ballroom!

SPARC Center experts are presenting at #AEFP2026 this week! Sessions are in the thread below, with 💥indicating sessions related to #SpecialEducation:`

Heading to @cecmembership.bsky.social's #CEC2026? Join our experts for sessions on strengthening the #SpecialEducation workforce and more:

📢 Apply for the SPARC Center Scholars Program by May 1st! Early career scholars interested in the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce can collaborate with SPARC researchers to conduct rigorous policy-relevant research. Learn more and apply: sparccenter.org/sparc-center...

📢Just launched: the SPARC Center Scholars Program! This program aims to support early career scholars in conducting rigorous research on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. Learn more and apply by May 1: sparccenter.org/sparc-center...

💡In a recent podcast, SPARC Center’s @afgilmour.bsky.social discusses the primary causes of #SpecialEducation teacher shortages, and how schools can address them.

The @caldercenter.bsky.social Conference is Monday 3/2 in Arlington, VA. SPARC's @roddy-theobald.bsky.social will present new findings on #SpecialEducation teacher retention from work with @lizbettini.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, & LaRon Scott. Register: caldercenter.org/events/17th-...

🔎How do researchers identify #SpecialEducation teachers? Our recent paper explores how seemingly simple data decisions impact analyses. Read the paper from @afgilmour.bsky.social @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social , and @lizbettini.bsky.social: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

🌟Supporting the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce requires collaboration. This week, SPARC Center experts @lmasonwms.bsky.social and @afgilmour.bsky.social share insights from our first year of research with the Coalition for Teaching Quality. Read our findings: sparccenter.org/research-fin...

Attend the upcoming #CALDER2026 conference to catch a session by SPARC Center Director @roddy-theobald.bsky.social on Evidence on What Makes Teachers Stay: Schedules, Salaries, and School Leaders! 💡

This week, our experts LaRon Scott and @lmasonwms.bsky.social presented at the @ceedarcenter.bsky.social Cross-State Convening on strengthening teacher and leader preparation. When we lead together, we can better support #SpecialEducation teachers and students with disabilities.

Did you catch @afgilmour.bsky.social’s recent article in @edweek.org?

💡“The unique thing about Pennsylvania is they decided to do as many things as they can at once, addressing each part of the [special education teacher] pipeline.” - @afgilmour.bsky.social Read how Pennsylvania supports its #SpecialEducation workforce: www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

“Delivering effective #SpecialEducation involves collecting data, monitoring progress, and making instructional changes when progress stalls or falters.” - @afgilmour.bsky.social Alli’s recent article in Education Next reflects on 50 years of #IDEA: www.educationnext.org/idea-at-50-l...

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (#IDEA) was enacted 50 years ago. @airinforms.bsky.social highlights IDEA’s impact and the ongoing work to ensure a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities below.

💡“Our shortages aren’t really from not having enough people; it’s having people teaching the wrong thing.” - @afgilmour.bsky.social Check out this article from Education Week which features research from our recent working paper on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce.

Did you know recruitment and retention of #SpecialEducation teachers varies widely by school contexts, including by poverty level, enrollment demographics, and location? 🔎Explore more with our data visualizer: sparccenter.org/data-explore...

🎉 Congratulations to SPARC Center’s @lmasonwms.bsky.social for receiving the Excellence in Teacher Education Award from @ted-cec.bsky.social! This honor recognizes Lucky's outstanding contributions to preparing and supporting #SpecialEducation teachers.

✨What does the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce look like within and across states? Our new interactive data visualizer tool looks at the composition, stability, and distribution of the workforce in our seven partner states. Explore the tool: sparccenter.org/data-explore...

"As we have demonstrated, different states face different #SpecialEducation teacher turnover problems. This suggests that the most promising solutions might vary across states." Read more about our recent findings in our article with @brookings.edu: www.brookings.edu/articles/sta...

🔍Our new Working Paper uses consistent variables across states. Leveraging Common Education Data Standards and Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems enables meaningful cross-state comparisons of the #SpecialEducation Teacher workforce. Read more: sparccenter.org/research-fin...

💡SPARC Center’s @roddy-theobald.bsky.social is presenting at @appam.bsky.social this week. Explore his sessions at the link below.

🌟SPARC Center researchers are presenting at @ted-cec.bsky.social next week. Check out this thread for their sessions:

📢 Our new Working Paper provides important cross-state insights into the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. We highlight some of our major findings in this thread⬇️

📢 NEW RESEARCH ALERT! The SPARC Center is excited to share THREE new resources with our findings from our first year of research on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. Explore the resources in this thread, or visit our website to learn more: sparccenter.org

💡Attending #SREE2025 this week? Join SPARC Center experts @lizbettini.bsky.social and @afgilmour.bsky.social for their session on Measuring and Strengthening the Special Education Teacher Workforce on Saturday, Oct 11 from 12-1:30 CT at Palmer House Hilton – Crystal.

The US Commission on Civil Rights (@usccrgov.bsky.social) released a new report on The Federal Response to Teacher Shortage Impacts on Students with Disabilities, offering eight suggestions to help overcome longstanding shortages: www.usccr.gov/reports/2025...

Hot off the presses a new @caldercenter.bsky.social paper on which college students are opting into a path toward becoming a teacher (by applying to a teacher ed program): caldercenter.org/publications... 1/n

🎓 Is having a dual-certification in #SpecialEducation and general education better than having one certification? SPARC Center co-director @afgilmour.bsky.social and Tiffany Lam reviewed the research to learn more on this topic: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Excited to circulate another @caldercenter.bsky.social WP! Another study from my dissertation, w/ @roddy-theobald.bsky.social‬. Using data from WA, we track individual paraeducators to predict exit from the state education workforce. Ungated WP here: ‬ tinyurl.com/3wtfrm2m 🧵 below:

Policy solutions can help stabilize and diversify the paraeducator workforce to improve #SpecialEducation outcomes. A recent paper by @lindseykaler.bsky.social and @roddy-theobald.bsky.social at @caldercenter.bsky.social examines turnover patterns in WA and offers suggestions for policymakers.

Excited to share a new publication with co-author Tiffany Lam- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Dual-Certification in Special Education and General Education. Read the full paper here- journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

SPARC Center Co-Directors @afgilmour.bsky.social and @lizbettini.bsky.social will join @aefpweb.bsky.social for a free forum on teacher shortages and vacancies on August 28 from 1–2pm ET. Register to attend: aefpweb.org/ev_calendar_...

Join SPARC Center Director @roddy-theobald.bsky.social and Co-Director @afgilmour.bsky.social on August 13 at 11am ET for a free, virtual event hosted by the PROGRESS Center! Register: promotingprogress.org/events/prepp...

In this new paper, #SPARCCenter Co-PI LaRon Scott draws on psychological theory to offer a fresh perspective on the high turnover rates among #SpecialEducation teachers of color—and what we can do about it. 📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1080/1547...

Many of our #SpecialEducation colleagues are coming together for the @usedgov.bsky.social Office of Special Education Programs Project Directors’ Meeting this week! Improving outcomes for students with disabilities requires a strong, well-qualified, and stable workforce. Learn more: sparccenter.org

In a recent @caldercenter.bsky.social study, @lindseykaler.bsky.social, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @lizbettini.bsky.social, and @natejones.bsky.social show how #SpecialEducation teacher turnover negatively impacts test scores—making teacher retention a critical priority. 📄 Learn more

We can’t afford to lose #SpecialEducation teachers to burnout. Improving working conditions is critical to keeping them in the profession. Check out this new research review from #SPARCCenter Co-Director @lizbettini.bsky.social and colleagues: doi.org/10.3102/0034...

Are you a novice leader or looking to increase your capacity to support the implementation of IDEA? Apply for the free, yearlong Lead IDEA Leadership Academy: lead-idea.org/lead-idea-le...