Dr. David Peyton, assistant professor in the Department of Reading Education and Special Education, received the Teacher Education Division (TED) of the Council for Exceptional Children Publication Award at the annual TED conference, held in Fort Worth, Texas.
The purpose of this award is to recognize the contribution of an individual or group of individuals for the publication of an article in Teacher Education and Special Education which is deemed to have lasting value to the field by virtue of its potential impact on research, policies, or practices in teacher education and special education.
Peyton was the lead author of the article entitled, “Special Education Teacher Shortage: Differences Between High and Low Shortage States”. The article focuses on addressing the shortage of special education teachers from a local perspective rather than a national lens.
“A state’s geography, resources, and political climate are just a few elements that can drive differentiated approaches to shortages or constrain implementation of thoughtful solutions.”
“A state’s geography, resources, and political climate are just a few elements that can drive differentiated approaches to shortages or constrain implementation of thoughtful solutions,” said Peyton.
Additionally, the article provides steps that state boards can take to address the shortage. These include more consistent data collection, improved working conditions, connections with teacher preparation programs, and better compensation.
Other contributors included:
- Kelly Acosta, a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Florida.
- Alexandria Harvey, a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Florida.
- Daisy Pua is a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Florida.
- Paul Sindelar, a distinguished professor at the University of Florida.
- Loretta Mason-Williams, an associate professor at Binghamton State University.
- James Dewey, an assistant professor at Florida Polytechnic University.
- Tiffany Fisher, a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Florida.
- Emily Crews, a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Florida.
Peyton’s research focus is on policies that are prevalent for special education teaching preparation such as the teaching pipeline, shortages of special education teachers in rural areas, and approaches to improving the instructional quality of new teachers.
Peyton joined the RCOE in July 2019. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
Award plaque
