According to Education Week’s survey, physical science and foreign language are the only subjects more difficult to fill then special education — a true struggle for many school districts. In 2015, NPR conducted an investigation into what is behind the growing number of vacancies in the field. In short it came down to “long hours and crushing paperwork.”
The shortage can also have dire consequences for school districts that are mandated to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires that students with disabilities have an individualized education program (IEP).
