SpedUP

Research shows that teachers of color improve outcomes for students with disabilities, yet Minnesota faces significant shortages and disparities in special education. More than one-quarter of teachers serving students with disabilities lack proper credentials, about 1,500 licensed special educators are working outside the field, and special education positions make up nearly half of all unfilled K–12 teaching jobs. At the same time, fewer than 7 percent of Minnesota teachers are people of color, and special education roles rely more heavily on temporary or out-of-field licenses. Nationally, students of color comprise over half of those receiving special education services, while more than 80 percent of special education teachers come from non-diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

SpedUP confronts these gaps in K-12 classrooms by increasing the number of teachers and addressing disparities in the composition of the special education workforce. Normandale does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and all are welcome to apply.

More information about SpedUP can be found at https://www.normandale.edu/academics/degrees-certificates/special-education/sped-up.html or by emailing spedup@normandale.edu.