Washington lacks special education teachers, audit finds

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Washington is facing a shortfall of qualified special education teachers, but the state doesn't know how pervasive the staffing problem is, according to a new audit.

The audit, released July 2 by the Office of the Washington State Auditor, analyzed staffing issues in special education and ways to recruit and retain special education staff, as first reported by the Washington State Standard.

Similar to the rest of the United States, Washington lacks qualified special education staff, and faces challenges with staff recruiting and retention.

According to the audit, the lack of qualified special education teachers means "students with the most complex educational needs can be left without the properly trained staff to meet their needs."

Among the key findings from the audit, is that Washington lacks qualified staff "but does not know the full extent of the shortage and attrition in the field," the audit said.

State auditor Pat McCarthy said there could be several reasons why the state doesn't know the full extent of the staffing issues. One reason: No one in the state is required to collect data on the vacancies.

The second reason: Washington does not have a method to collect this data, such as a centralized job portal used by all school districts in the state.

Because the state does not know how many vacancies there are, the audit noted "Washington's shortfall and high turnover in special education may be greater than studies suggest."

Research and school districts have reported shortages in special education staff particularly in rural and high-poverty areas, according to the audit.

The audit also found inexperienced and paraeducators are common in special education settings.

"The Professional Educator Standards Board reported in 2024 that special education had the largest share of instruction provided by teachers without a special education endorsement on their teaching certificate, or with only a limited certificate, meaning they have not yet met full certification requirements in special education," the audit explained.

The audit referenced a 2024 study by the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board, which found the statewide share of special education instruction provided by teachers lacking a matching endorsement was three times larger than the next shortage area, elementary education.

The percent of instruction statewide provided by under-qualified special education teachers for the 2022-2023 school year was 1.5%, followed by elementary education at 0.6%.

Another key finding highlighted the challenges Washington schools face in retaining and recruiting special education teachers.

According to the audit, various factors can lead to recruiting and retention issues, including unfavorable working conditions with heavy caseloads, administrative responsibilities and a lack of leadership support.

The audit said higher wages could help attract new staff and retain current employees, along with quality preparation and mentorship classes.

Additionally, the audit found regional and statewide support is needed to address retention and recruitment issues. Officials suggested creating alternative pathways into the profession, providing financial incentives for special education roles and promoting manageable workloads.

The audit did not make formal recommendations to address the staffing shortfalls. Instead, McCarthy said the results of the audit are so broad that school districts and the state's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction can apply the strategies mentioned in the audit.

Nearly 150,000 K-12 students in Washington with disabilities are eligible for special education services, officials said.

The audit pointed to the "essential" role special education teachers play for those students. Special education teachers not only create individualized education programs for each of their students, but they also act as case managers for other students, the audit said.

According to the audit, teacher staffing issues are a challenge across the United States.

Citing data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the audit said 86% of U.S. K-12 schools reported issues hiring teachers for the 2023-2024 school year.

The most frequently cited teaching positions with vacancies were general elementary and special education teachers.

Katy Payne, a spokesperson for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction told KOIN 6 News they are making "good progress" to accurately estimate vacancies and support recruiting efforts, noting the office has requested funding to bolster staffing efforts.

"We appreciate the efforts of the State Auditor’s Office to study this important issue. In our state and across the nation, special education is consistently an area with above-average educator turnover, and we are proud of our efforts to attract and retain high-quality educators into these critical positions," Payne said.

She noted the office has also asked the state legislature to fund first-in-the-nation living wages for paraeducators. Additionally, Washington's teacher residency program is solely focused on training future special education teachers.

Austin Majors with the state's Professional Educator Standards Board told KOIN 6 News they are moving on strategies to better prepare special education teachers with a residency model that supports clinical practice and co-teaching.

The Washington Education Association similarly highlighted the residency program, and said they are advocating for better working conditions:

Washington Education Association members see every day the impact that our state’s chronic shortage of Special Education teachers has on our students. That’s why we created a first-in-the-nation union-run, educator-led Teacher Residency program, which removes barriers for candidates seeking certification in Special Education. Following the program’s first year, 13 new Special Education-certified teachers accepted classroom placements and an additional 29 residents joined the program’s June 2024 cohort. Additionally, we advocate for improvements to Special Education that increase retention, including raising Special Education staffing levels and increasing collaboration time between Special Education teachers and general education teachers to better include students with disabilities in classes with their peers.  The Special Education teacher shortage has several causes, but together we’re advocating for solutions so we can better serve students.