Parents file complaints over special education teacher vacancies
YOU KNOW SOME OF THE BEST DAYS
TO MAKE YOUR OUTDOOR PLANS
COMING UP. THANK YOU, KAT.
>> NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS ARE
STRUGGLING TO HIRE QUALIFIED
SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND
IT'S LEAVING STUDENTS IN SOME
CASES WITHOUT PROPERLY PROVIDED
SERVICES AS WRAL EDUCATION
INSIDER, EMILY WALKING HORSE
REPORTS THE TEACHER SHORTAGE IS
ALSO LEADING PARENTS TO FILE
COMPLAINTS TO THE STATE AGAINST
THEIR SCHOOLS, SAYING THEY'RE
NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW.
>> FOR WEEKS AND ON QUALIFIED
TEACHING ASSISTANT PROVIDED
SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION TO THE
MILLER'S SON, DEVON TURNS OUT
HIS WAKE COUNTY CLASSROOM
DIDN'T HAVE A LICENSE. SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHER AND SPEAKING
>> LEGAL AID, YOU KNOW, THEY
TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
THAT'S LIKE AGAINST A LOT.
SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE
STATE AND OFFICIALS FOUND THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT WASN'T
COMPLYING WITH LICENSING LAWS
INTENDED TO HELP STUDENTS GET
THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
>> THE LATEST STATE DATA SHOWS
ABOUT 1200 SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHING POSITIONS IN THE STATE
WERE VACANT OR FILLED BY
SOMEONE WHO WASN'T QUALIFIED IN
2023. THAT'S MORE THAN TRIPLE
THE VACANCIES. 5 YEARS BEFORE
THEY'RE UP 5 TIMES IN WAKE
COUNTY WHEN LOS OR IS A FORMER
STATE SPECIAL EDUCATION
CONSULTANT. SHE SAYS A LACK
OF QUALIFIED PERSONNEL PUT
STUDENTS AT RISK OF FALLING
BEHIND PERMANENTLY TO IF YOU'VE
GOT A SUB FOR ONE YEAR, THEN
YOU HAVE A SUB THE FOLLOWING
YEAR. THEN YOU HAVE THE SUB THE
FOLLOWING YEAR.
>> THERE IS A SNOWBALL FACT.
THE WAKE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS
THAT TRIES TO HAVE QUALIFIED
TEACHERS, MENTOR ON QUALIFIED
ONES AND IT HAS BOOSTED
ADVERTISING FOR THESE POSITIONS
AND HIRED A RECRUITER LOWS ARE
SAYS THE PROFESSION IS
REWARDING BUT NEEDS AN OVERHAUL
TO REDUCE BURNOUT. ANDRES PET
OF THE SOLUTION IS TO MAKE
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TO TRY
ACTIVE PROFESSION. I'M ALI
WALKING HORST, WRAL NEWS,
RALEIGH, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION TOLD US FIXING THE
TEACHER PIPELINE.
>> IS A PRIORITY FOR THE NEW