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LOVE as the Foundation: The Values, Attitudes and Beliefs of Black Special Educators

Alexandra Richmond

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IL LEND Virtual Open House

April 25, 2024

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Introduction

  • Historically, there has been an over-representation of Black students in special education and at the same time an under-representation of Black special education teachers.
  • Over 82% of special education teachers in public schools are White according to recent federal data.
  • Only about 50% of students receiving special education services are White.

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Research Questions

How do Black special education teachers in an urban public school setting:

  1. Experience recruitment and retention efforts?
  2. View current recruitment and retention strategies?
  3. View the relation between their Blackness and their role as a special education teacher?
    1. How does this view of their Blackness play into recruitment and retention?

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Methods & Participants

12 Participants

  • Self-identified as Black
  • LBS1 sped licensure
  • Teaching in public school within Chicago
    • 4 novice (0-4 years)
    • 4 mid-career (5-10 years)
    • 4 experienced (11+ years)

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12 semi-structured interviews

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Values Coding at a Glance

Themes

Value

What you think and feel is important

Attitude

How you think & feel about something or someone

Belief

What you think and feel to be true

Black special educators give and love willingly

Black special educators are aware of just how much they are needed

Black special educators believe the best way to recruit and retain is to show care in ways that resonate with them

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Implications

  • Black special educators love what they do and thrive in their classrooms and in their educational communities.
  • Initiatives to recruit and retain Black special educators should reflect the benefits of the unique emotional connections that these educators have with their students.
  • Recommendations for recruiting and retaining Black special education teachers and Black teachers:
    • Developing systems of support
    • Providing competitive salary
    • Offering advancement opportunities
    • Including diversified curriculum
    • Recruitment from local communities

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Future Directions

  • Additional research is necessary to determine whether recommended strategies will result in increased recruitment and retention of Black special education teachers over time.
  • Examine recruitment/retention strategies in the specific context of what Black special educators report about their experiences of recruitment/retention efforts.

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Questions?

Thank you!