ERIC Number: EJ1471973
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-8756-8705
EISSN: EISSN-2168-8605
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Tennessee 2022: Shortages and Future Needs for TVIs and O&M Specialists
Rural Special Education Quarterly, v44 n1 p14-25 2025
Shortages of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) and orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists are well documented in the United States, though specific research has not been conducted in Tennessee. The following report documents the results of two statewide surveys in Tennessee during the 2021-2022 school year that explored the current vacancies, caseload size, and experiences of TVIs and O&M specialists. One survey was sent to TVIs and O&M specialists and the second survey was sent to special education administrators in the state. Results indicate that more than half of TVIs and O&M specialists are planning to leave their position in the next 5 years, while administrators anticipate lower numbers departing than professionals report. Caseload size parallels national averages, which are above the recommended caseload size. Districts in rural areas are more likely to have long-term vacancies. Implications and next steps are discussed.
Descriptors: Teacher Shortage, Students with Disabilities, Visual Impairments, Blindness, Visually Impaired Mobility, Specialists, Special Education Teachers, Teacher Persistence, Labor Turnover, Teaching Conditions, Rural Urban Differences, Teacher Burnout, Faculty Workload, Teacher Salaries, Teacher Attitudes, Best Practices
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tennessee
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA