Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements for Special Educators: Perceptions of West Virginia Stakeholders

Abstract

Federal law mandates that all teachers, including special educators, must be highly qualified by meeting standards for licensure in the academic content areas they teach. This provision has an impact on prospective and practicing teachers, on schools and school systems, and on colleges and universities, especially those in rural areas. This study surveyed special education teachers, school administrators, and faculty members in a rural state to identify their perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of the highly qualified teacher requirement and its effect on the field of special education. The results reveal that stakeholders' perceptions of the impact of the highly qualified teacher requirements are positive as well as negative and reflect both their respective roles in special education and the rural contexts in which they work.