How State Dual Licensure Policies Relate to the Number of Prepared Teachers in Special Education

As more students with disabilities are educated in inclusive classrooms, dual licensure policies have emerged as a promising strategy to improve the quality of special education teaching. However, there are concerns that these policies might worsen the chronic shortage of special education teachers by introducing additional requirements for teaching candidates. This study seeks to explore these concerns by examining the association between state dual licensure policies and the number of prepared special education teachers. We analyzed Title II data in conjunction with policy enactment data collected from various sources in three states. Our findings indicate that, overall, the policy was not significantly associated with the number of prepared teachers. We discuss these results in the context of their implications for future research and policy.