📅 March 20 | 8:15–9:45 am 📍 Montreux 3 💡 Understanding Special Education Identification and Services with @afgilmour.bsky.social 💥

Very cool opportunity for early career researchers interested in special education research: Apply for access to at least one statewide longitudinal dataset with support from SPARC researchers to conduct a co-developed study on the special education workforce. 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...

This is an excellent paper and a must read for those concerned about turnover in schools!

Aaron Ainsworth@ajainsworth.bsky.social · 6mo ago

I’m really glad to see that our paper is now out at Ed Researcher! We examine turnover among the half of school employees who are not teachers to understand how their turnover compares. Using Oregon data (2007-23) for all public school employees, there are 3 new patterns that we document: A 🧵

I'm excited to be presenting work funded by @sparccenter.bsky.social and co-authored with @lizbettini.bsky.social and @afgilmour.bsky.social at the CALDER Conference in early March! Registration details below!

CALDER Center@caldercenter.bsky.social · 7mo ago

📢 Registration for #CALDER2026 is now open! Join us on Monday, March 2 in Arlington, VA for a one-day conference featuring research from CALDER experts & discussion between researchers, policymakers & practitioners. Register ➡️ caldercenter.org/events/17th-... @cedr.bsky.social

💡“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...

Inside One State's Bold Plan to Keep Special Education Teachers

Pennsylvania's training and mentoring program works to retain teachers serving students with disabilities.

edweek.org

“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...

IDEA at 50

The landmark federal law ensured access for students with disabilities. Now it’s time to focus on outcomes.

educationnext.org

IDEA at 50: The landmark federal law ensured access for students with disabilities. Now it’s time to focus on outcomes. bit.ly/44DcDrU

IDEA at 50

The landmark federal law ensured access for students with disabilities. Now it’s time to focus on outcomes.

bit.ly

Can we please stop having conferences on Saturday?

I love this paper. If you study special education teachers, or support special education teachers, you need to read it!

Liz Bettini@lizbettini.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Excited to share a new Project RESPECT paper out today in RASE, defining special educators' working conditions! We often talk about "working conditions" but seldom precisely define them. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Fantastic, thorough, and nuanced analysis of IDEA at 50, by @afgilmour.bsky.social www.educationnext.org/idea-at-50-l...

IDEA at 50

The landmark federal law ensured access for students with disabilities. Now it’s time to focus on outcomes.

educationnext.org

🔍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...

This is such a fun resource! You can play with the data and examine trends within and across states

SPARC Center@sparccenter.bsky.social · 9mo ago

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...

💡“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.

Education Week@edweek.org · 9mo ago

Schools Have the Special Educators—But Keep Losing Them to General Ed.: A study across seven states finds educators for students with disabilities need more targeted support.

"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...

States face different special education staffing challenges that require targeted responses | Brookings

Special education teacher turnover varies by state, calling for targeted, locally informed policy solutions.

brookings.edu

So much important information in this graph!!

Really excited to have this piece out on the Brown Center Chalkboard blog with @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social on the importance of targeted solutions to special education teacher staffing challenges. See below!

SPARC Center@sparccenter.bsky.social · 9mo ago

"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...

"Varying patterns across states...suggest the need for policy responses targeted to state & local needs." Check out recent @sparccenter.bsky.social findings, @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social www.brookings.edu/articles/sta...

⭐Resource #3: An interactive dashboard exploring the key dimensions of the special education teacher workforce across all our partner states: sparccenter.org/data-explore...

⭐Resource #2: Eight SPARC Fact Sheets with state-specific summaries: sparccenter.org/resources/sp...

⭐Resource #1: A Working Paper with details of our cross-state analysis of the special education teacher workforce: sparccenter.org/research-fin...

It has been such a privilege to conduct this research with such a great team. Check out our first year’s work!

SPARC Center@sparccenter.bsky.social · 9mo ago

📢 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

ICYMI!

Liz Bettini@lizbettini.bsky.social · 10mo ago

I am recruiting a doc student! I am so excited :-D The student would have opportunities to work on IES & Spencer funded projects focused on strengthening the special ed workforce, including Project RESPECT, Project SUSTAIN, Project ONBOARD, & the SPARC Center. Please share widely! Thanks all!

@afgilmour.bsky.social addresses a major barrier in this line of research: figuring out who special education teachers are from the data.

Esther Lindström@estherlindstrom.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Last day of #SREE2025! Looking forward to @afgilmour.bsky.social & @michellecumming.bsky.social talking teacher workforce.

🎓 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/...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

Looking forward to hearing more from my @SPARC_Center collaborators- we’ve learned a lot in a year that can help inform policymakers & practitioners!

AEFP@aefpweb.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Join the AEFP Policymakers & Practitioners Community Group for an interactive forum on Teacher Shortages & Vacancies in K-12 schools TODAY, from 1-2 EDT! Register today aefpweb.org/ev_calen...

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/...

lfgoooooooooo

Exclaim!@exclaimdotca.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Neko Case Expands North American Tour

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...

New @caldercenter.bsky.social paper alert! We (big group of authors) look at summer school as a pandemic recovery strategy. What do we find? 👇 caldercenter.org/publications...