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Addressing the Teacher Shortage in Rural Areas with Military Veteran Teacher Candidates

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Title: Addressing the Teacher Shortage in Rural Areas with Military Veteran Teacher Candidates
Language: English
Authors: Glenna M. Billingsley (ORCID 0000-0002-5830-8660), Kathy Randolph (ORCID 0000-0003-4241-8678), Kenneth F. Gaylord, Richard Earley, Olivia Jimenez
Source: Rural Special Education Quarterly. 2026 45(1):50-58.
Availability: 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
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Opinion Papers
Education Level: Adult Education
Descriptors: Teacher Shortage, Rural Areas, Veterans, Special Education Teachers, Alternative Teacher Certification, Student Financial Aid, Veterans Education, Federal Legislation, Teacher Characteristics, Individual Characteristics, Interpersonal Competence
Geographic Terms: Texas
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: G I Bill
DOI: 10.1177/87568705251342507
ISSN: 8756-8705
2168-8605
Abstract: The United States is experiencing a drastic teacher shortage nationwide, in rural locations and in specialized areas like special education, science, and math. Rural special education teacher positions often go unfulfilled or are staffed with untrained, and often unqualified, individuals with little to no experience in education, leaving the most vulnerable students in a precarious educational placement. This position paper identifies one solution to address the special education teacher shortage in rural areas: recruit military veterans into special education teacher preparation programs. Characteristics of military veterans that make them ideal special education teacher candidates are identified, and a pathway is proposed for those interested in transferring the skills and dispositions attained during military service to the special education classroom.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500803
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Addressing the Teacher Shortage in Rural Areas with Military Veteran Teacher Candidates
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Glenna+M%2E+Billingsley%22">Glenna M. Billingsley</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-8660">0000-0002-5830-8660</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kathy+Randolph%22">Kathy Randolph</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4241-8678">0000-0003-4241-8678</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kenneth+F%2E+Gaylord%22">Kenneth F. Gaylord</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Richard+Earley%22">Richard Earley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olivia+Jimenez%22">Olivia Jimenez</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Rural+Special+Education+Quarterly%22"><i>Rural Special Education Quarterly</i></searchLink>. 2026 45(1):50-58.
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  Data: 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
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink>
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  Label: Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers
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  Data: 10.1177/87568705251342507
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  Data: The United States is experiencing a drastic teacher shortage nationwide, in rural locations and in specialized areas like special education, science, and math. Rural special education teacher positions often go unfulfilled or are staffed with untrained, and often unqualified, individuals with little to no experience in education, leaving the most vulnerable students in a precarious educational placement. This position paper identifies one solution to address the special education teacher shortage in rural areas: recruit military veterans into special education teacher preparation programs. Characteristics of military veterans that make them ideal special education teacher candidates are identified, and a pathway is proposed for those interested in transferring the skills and dispositions attained during military service to the special education classroom.
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        Value: 10.1177/87568705251342507
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 50
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Shortage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Areas
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      – SubjectFull: Veterans
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
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