West Chester, Pa (July 29, 2024) – The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) was awarded $20,000 in state funding to help encourage and inspire students to pursue careers in special education, state Senator Carolyn Comitta announced.
“Pennsylvania needs more teachers, especially in special education,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee. “I hope that this funding will help more students and young people discover their talents and interest in special education and rewarding careers that make a positive impact in the lives of children with differing abilities.”
According to the National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services, 98 percent of the nation’s school districts report special education shortages.
This funding aims to begin to reverse that trend by es. Through the programs, secondary and postsecondary students will learn about supporting students with disabilities through participation in structured activities, programs, and/or events with guidance and oversight from current educators.
“We are incredibly grateful for this generous support from the state,” said Dr. George F. Fiore, Executive Director of the CCIU. “This funding will allow us to inspire and prepare the next generation of special educators who are crucial in meeting the diverse needs of our students. By providing hands-on experiences and mentorship, we hope to ignite a passion for special education among students, ensuring that every child with differing abilities receives the support and opportunities they deserve.”
The CCIU grant comes as part of $1.4 million in state funding awarded to 77 school entities across Pennsylvania to grow the Commonwealth’s next generation of special educators.
“Creating a future for our learners starts with having enough well-qualified, well-paid teachers in our classrooms, and this grant funding will bolster our efforts to generate a robust educator workforce in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “By inspiring today’s students to become tomorrow’s teachers—and by investing in hands-on learning and career exploration opportunities—we are laying the foundation to support Pennsylvania’s students for decades to come.”
The grant funding builds on current efforts to recruit and retain teachers in the Commonwealth. The recently passed 2024-25 state budget includes historic investments in public education, including a $1 billion increase for K-12 schools, teachers, and students, a $100 million increase for special education (on top of the $50 million increase secured last year), and an additional $10 million for student teacher stipends.
In addition, Comitta, who began her career as a public school teacher in the Octorara School District, has introduced Senate Bill 826 to build a robust teacher pipeline through a Grow Your Own Educator program. The program offers a proven method to recruit and retain educators from within their own communities by developing additional pathways and resources to receive a teaching certification.
According to Teach Plus, a nonprofit education advocacy group, more than 2,100 teaching positions were vacant in Pennsylvania earlier this year and almost a quarter of those spots were filled with long-term substitutes instead of full-time teachers. Furthermore, the statewide teacher shortage is more acute in special education, as well as math and science and in underserved rural and urban areas. For example, of the Philadelphia School District’s 452 vacancies at the start of this year, about one-third (150) were in special education.
The Chester County Intermediate Unit is a dynamic educational service agency providing quality, innovative and cost-effective programs and services to enhance the lives of students, educators and members of our communities.
For more information about the CCIU and its programs, visit cciu.org.