The licensing program aims to address the shortage of special education teachers

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After working at a summer camp for children with muscular dystrophy at the age of 16, Andrew Bova knew he wanted to teach in special needs schools. But getting to the classroom required some changes.

Bova enrolled at Ball State in 2012 to pursue a degree in education, but failed the PRAXIS portion of the test necessary to take upper-level courses. Trying again gave similar results.

Taking the exam a third time would mean delaying graduation, so Bova chose a new major that led him to a career as a preschool teacher and then working with young adults and children in the Department of Child Services.

Still, Bova was drawn to special education. This coincided with the urgent need for special education teachers after the discovery of Indiana violation of federal law regarding allowing teachers with emergency permits to teach special education.

The solution was I-SEAL, a program of the Center for Excellence in Educational Leadership at the University of Indianapolis that allows current teachers, including those with emergency work permits, to obtain full special education licensure at no cost.

According to Indiana Department of Education spokeswoman Courtney Crown, the program is funded by federal Emergency Relief funds for Indiana K-12 schools and Part B of the Indiana Americans with Disabilities Act.

As federal aid funds expire, the department plans to advocate for funding for future teacher programs when the legislative session begins in January, Crown said in a statement.

More than 1,100 teachers have joined the program, and since its launch, almost 600 teachers have completed it. starting in 2021.

This includes Bova, who began teaching special education at Perry Meridian High School under an emergency permit.

The program enabled him to remain in the classroom while meeting licensing requirements, a major boon for school districts that were already struggling to hire special education teachers, said Dana Vittorio, director of special education for Perry Township Schools.

After graduating from the University of Indianapolis in 2023, Bova hopes to become a fully licensed special education teacher next semester.

“I wanted to be a teacher to influence and make an impact. I’m finally here. It took me a long, roundabout way to get to where I am,” Bova said.

“Eliminating” the teacher shortage

The I-SEAL program offers three tracks for those who are already in the classroom. To enroll in the program, they must have a teaching job in the district and agree to teach in Indiana for at least two years.

Licensed educators can add special education support through fully funded tracks at the University of Indianapolis, Taylor University, or Indiana Wesleyan University. Those with a bachelor’s degree can receive a full scholarship through the Transition to Teaching Program, and other scholarships are available to students enrolled in a special education teacher preparation program.

The program is not currently available to people who do not have a bachelor’s degree. However, CELL Executive Director Carey Dahncke said developing a teaching pathway for people who have earned some college credits could be another way to fill vacant teaching positions in the state.

“There is still tremendous demand in Indiana,” Dahncke said. “We are trying to fix it, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

A recent department presentation said there had been no “alarming” number of people leaving the teaching profession, but fewer aspiring teachers were entering and completing teacher preparation programs.

Staffing at Perry has improved year over year since the pandemic, said Vittorio, the special education director. This year, the district’s special education teachers are at 100% full staff, marking the first time since pre-pandemic that many teachers have chosen to retire.

However, she stated that it has been a long time coming that schools will receive 30 applications for each teaching position. As of the end of October, there were 287 openings for special education teachers on the Indiana State Teacher Employment Board.

Vittorio said the I-SEAL program is critical to employment; In Perry schools, eight teachers have enrolled or completed the program. It encourages teachers to consider participating in the program and obtaining a special education teaching license for free.

“We’re a little more creative now. We can find really talented people and help them get their licenses,” she said. “It not only benefits the district, but also our children because these teachers help our children achieve their goals.”

In Bova’s classroom at Perry Meridian Middle School

In a self-contained classroom, Bova teaches students with disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome. Some days he helps them write letters and words using wooden blocks, magnetic plates or shaving cream.

On Tuesday, he led them through a lesson on adjectives and reasoning using mystery objects in four paper bags. Students reached inside and offered descriptive words to help their peers find out what was inside.

The lesson wasn’t all about fun – students chanted “Throw it out!” as Bova was preparing to unveil the pumpkin seeds and paper clips – but it serves a practical purpose when the class starts writing sentences next week.

Bova said he still uses lessons he learned in the I-SEAL program today, such as strategies for teaching his students phonics and literacy skills. He added that he also appreciates the support of other teachers in his group who continue to talk and exchange ideas via the group chat.

Although it took him longer than he expected to find a job as a special education teacher, he said all of his previous experience helped him learn to advocate for his students, starting with that first role as a camp counselor.

“It opened my eyes to what everyday life is like for these children and their parents, how vulnerable they can be, but what opportunities are available to them,” he said. “It’s about what they can do, not what they can’t do.”

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at [email protected].