NCSPE-

October 2002

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In this Issue: Recruitment

Introduction
Recruitment Resources
Alternative Certification Programs Database
Research Library

Introduction

Each month Connections will bring you practical information, research, and established programs and strategies for recruiting, preparing, and retaining diverse, highly qualified educators and related services personnel for children and youth with disabilities. Through Connections, the Clearinghouse continues its 15 year history as a resource to aspiring teachers and professionals in the field of special education.

This month the newsletter connects you to resources for recruiting persons for special education licensure programs and also for recruiting teachers to schools.

Recruitment Resources

Universities, states, and local school districts can receive free of charge the Clearinghouse's Recruitment Tool Kit. Designed to attract persons to the field of special education, the Tool Kit includes brochures on special education, working in the field, and financial aid opportunities to pursue careers in special education; a colorful poster; and a website address card. You can order the Recruitment Tool Kit by emailing ncpse@cec.sped.org. You can also download full-color PDF versions of the brochures and a smaller version of the poster from our website.

The Clearinghouse also has a new ten (10) minutes long video, "One Child at a Time." The video focuses on recruiting persons from underrepresented populations to special education licensure programs. It is part of the Clearinghouse's comprehensive plan for diversity recruitment. A set of discussion guidelines is provided with the video to facilitate its use with different age and interest groups. The video will be available in October 2002. Contact the Clearinghouse now to find out how your state department of education, teacher preparation program, or local school district can use this video in a comprehensive recruitment initiative. A sample clip of the video is available. You will need a multimedia player, such as the free Windows Media Player or RealOne Player to view the clip.

In the Oregon State Department of Education's Survey of Recently Hired Special Education Professionals in Oregon, over half (52.4%) of the 265 respondents found their current job through the Internet on an agency website, a job clearinghouse, or some other Internet site. Only 1.9% found their job through a campus recruiting day or campus career service center.

More information on the survey can be obtained from the Oregon Special Education Recruitment and Retention Project.

Preview well developed recruiting websites:

Alternative Certification Programs Database

The Clearinghouse is building a searchable database of all alternative routes to licensure in special education. We are interviewing alternative route program directors at the local district, state department, and university levels in all states to capture information on all alternative route programs and their participants. The database will be searchable on the Clearinghouse website this fall. Certain portions of the data collected will also be used by the Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE) at the University of Florida to inform its research agenda. Access to the Alternative Certification Programs Database will be announced soon in Connections.

Research Library

Visit the NCPSE Research Library to locate reports, fact sheets and data charts, research sources, and presentations on topics critical to developing the special education workforce -- demographics, teacher preparation, recruitment and retention, supply and demand, and teacher quality. The Research Library is continually updated. Resource listings in the new Literature Database are provided as references only. Due to copyright restrictions and staff resources, we are not able to copy and disseminate resources contained in the Literature Database.

The National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education is the descriptive title for the National Clearinghouse on Careers and Professions Related to Early Intervention and Education for Children with Disabilities Cooperative Agreement H326P980002 between the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Exceptional Children. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of either the U. S. Department of Education or the Council for Exceptional Children. This information is in the public domain, unless otherwise indicated. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit the National Clearinghouse for professions in Special Education. U. S. Department of Education Project Officer Martha B. Bokee