Addressing Issues With Special Education With A Special Education Teacher

By Jason Green

With a national special education teacher shortage, low university enrollment for students with disabilities and lack of rigor in special education, parents and teachers are equally concerned.

To explore these urgent educational topics, 3DA interviewed Maria High School, one of eight schools in Huntington Beach Union High School District in California, special education teacher, education specialist Yvonne Serrano, to discuss them.

Serrano has been teaching special education for about six years at the high school, teaching for about 11 years at time of this article. She originally worked as an aide at Maria High School before getting her teaching credential. She has taught at a few different locations such as Westminster High School and Fountain Valley High School.

Special education programs in the United States have the role of accommodating students with disabilities’ learning that may not be offered in general education courses. Special education programs are categorized into two sections: mild/moderate disabilities and moderate/severe disabilities.

Serrano primarily teaches students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a mild/moderate special education program. 

“I decided to be a special education teacher when my daughter's father passed away,” Serrano said. “I needed a job that would give me time off when my daughter was off and an avenue to help kids that were on the spectrum, since that was the population I was working with during that time.

There is currently a dire shortage of special education teachers on a national level. About 40 states in 2023-2024 have reported shortages in special education teachers with 42,000 leaving per year, but only fewer than 30,000 replace them.

Serrano said that there are several contributors for special education teacher shortages including inadequate funding and high difficulty. 

She mentioned keeping the rigor of special education classes can be challenging to do, as there are many aspects that need to be handled: handling paperwork; having to go to meetings that require them to be out of the classroom, taking away time from teaching; and mandated reporting.

“Just having to manage your caseload and still keep the rigor of your curriculum high and the expectation high is difficult.”

She also said because of these challenges, teachers cannot put in all their effort which has caused special education to have lower standards for their students.

“That's disappointing to me to see, to be honest, because I don't think they have the skills to manage all of the paperwork,” Serrano expressed. “There's no reason why you [Special education students] can't be held to the same standards as a general ed classroom.”

Since being in education, Serrano noticed shifts in education for those with disabilities. “There is a bigger push for inclusion in terms of, like, you guys [students with disabilities],” she said.

 She mentioned that Algebra I used to be a requirement in order to receive a diploma, including special education students. However, they may be waived according to their Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

With low rates of students with disabilities that enroll into university, Serrano has seen students that have made it to this level in their education, but she stated that not every student will fit in. She said that there is not a vast range of options for alternative education, and that there should be an emphasis on business ownership, including entrepreneurship. 

Serrano established a student-led coffee cart for students with disabilities at her school. Her students often sell their campus on their site. They also visit the HBUHSD district office on different occasions to sell coffee to staff.

 The students make the coffee, handle the money, gaining experience and independence. While there are other schools in her district that have the same coffee cart initiative, she has the only one that partners with outside companies such Moongate coffee. 

She also created an independent living class to help her students enhance their skills.

While Serrano has issues with the education system, she is passionate to teach.

Work Cited

1. Aldeman, Chad. “Where Are All the Special Educators?” Education Next, December 19, 2024. https://www.educationnext.org/where-are-all-the-special-educators-teacher-shortage/.