Liz Bettini

AEFP invites applications for the editorship of EFP, the association’s flagship journal. Applications are due TODAY. Read more about it here: aefpweb.org/callfore...

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📣New Work Wednesday!📣

Is teaching a calling, a profession, or labor? This study maps how 3 institutional logics—an accountability logic, a democratic logic, and a moral calling logic—shape teachers’ identities.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

#NWW

Check out the data explorer! Would love to hear what folks find interesting or surprising.

So, policies to address turnover may need to look quite different in PA, where focus is needed on high pov schools, than in TX, where high overall turnover indicates a need for broad-based policies. A good reminder that teacher labor markets are local & policies should match local challenges!

Some nuances to check out in SPARC's data explorer: In most states, attrition is higher in high pov schools, w/the exception of Hawai'i & TX. Disparities are most pronounced in VA & PA - for example, PA has low overall turnover rates, but disparities between high & low pov schools are stark.

Why do special educators switch into general ed at much higher rates in some states than others? What are implications of high rates of switching for students? Do potential benefits of having dual licensed general educators outweigh the pitfalls of higher instability in the special ed workforce?

This data explorer is soooo coool.

Abstract of SPARC Working Paper No. 01-1025, titled "The Composition, Distribution, and Stability of the Special Education Teacher Workforce in Seven States." The abstract reads: Special education staffing challenges threaten the delivery of effective special education services to students with disabilities. We investigated the composition, distribution, and stability of the special education teacher (SET) workforce over time and across seven states. Some challenges were similar across states, such as trends in SET workforce stability over time, while other challenges (e.g., SET certification rates) varied considerably by state. Staffing challenges also varied within some states, contributing to considerable inequity in SET stability and in the distribution of novice SETs,SETs without full certification, and SETs of color. These findings suggest a need for policies and practices that vary by state context and target the districts and schools most affected by SET staffing challenges.

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

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

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

There are too many interesting details to describe in one thread! Please dig in, and share what strikes you!

(3) Importantly, those differences between schools disappear in regressions where we account for teacher experience & qualifications, indicating that inequities in the distribution of the SET workforce are driving some inequities in the stability.

(2) Attrition rates are very high in almost every state, w/ more than 1/3 SETs turning over annually in most states. But, in most states those rates are substantially higher in schools serving more low income students & students of color.

(1) States staff special education really differently, with ratios of students with disabilities: special ed teachers that range from 9:1 to 27:1

So grateful to our partner states (Hawai'i, Indiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, & Washington) for all of their work making these data available & thinking about how to better support the special ed workforce.

A few findings that I found especially interesting:

We are so excited to share the FIRST cross-state analysis of the characteristics of the special ed workforce! Have you see our data explorer? You can search how the characteristics & turnover of the special ed workforce vary across states, districts, & schools w/in the 7 SPARC partner states.

icymi!!

BIG thanks to Dr. Leslie Rogers, from Montana State University, for person-ing the TESE BlueSky Account!

Also, if you are not yet following the TESE account, please do so! We'll be sharing new papers, awards, etc.. through it!

icymi!! Applications are due soon. Would love to hear from folks who are interested!

Check out the TED Publication of the Year for 2025!

Social-Emotional Learning Foundations Curriculum for K–1 Students at Risk for EBD: Differential Effects Based on Student EF Risk Profiles - Michelle M. Cumming, Daniel V. Poling, Yuxi Qiu, Nastasia Sc... Due to executive function's (EF) foundational role in students’ school and lifelong success, school-based interventions that build EF (i.e., inhibitory con...

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

icymi!! Applications are due soon. Would love to hear from folks who are interested!

Excited to check out @drchriscip.bsky.social's new book!

🚨New publication alert🚨

I'm thrilled Economics of Education Review has just published my work w/ @abbyfrancis.bsky.social:

"School enrollment shifts five years after the pandemic"

Abstract below, but read the next few posts for the story told via a handful of graphs.

doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...

ICYMI!

ICYMI!

🚨Check out our NEW Report “Leading through Change”🚨 We explore how school administrators are navigating recent policy changes in Arkansas and their thoughts on what is working and what have been challenging 👇 edre.uark.edu/_resources/p...

More info about these projects -
Project RESPECT: www.wiseinstitute.net/project-resp...
Project SUSTAIN: education.ufl.edu/sustain/
SPARC Center: sparccenter.org

More info about our program:
PhD program: www.bu.edu/wheelock/deg...
Special Education Program: www.bu.edu/wheelock/deg...

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!