ANN ARBOR, MI (MPRN)-- The Michigan Department of Education is offering an option to help school districts deal with a shortage of special education teachers.
The MDE will allow a one-year, renewable waiver that enables a district to use special education teachers in a special education classroom even if they don't have the same specialty area.
The goal is to reduce the use of substitute teachers for special education.
Abby Cypher heads the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education.
“I think we're being given flexibility to really put people in positions who are a right fit for the position and can support our students' needs,” she says.
The school district needs to demonstrate that it's been unable to fill an open slot with a special education teacher whose specialty is a precise match.