College of Education Researchers Awarded AERA/NSF Grant to Study Dual-Licensure Policies

Jihyun Kim and Esther Lindström have received funding to explore the effects of states’ dual-licensure policies on teacher preparation quality and outcomes for students with disabilities. 

Teacher licensure requirements for special education teachers in the U.S. vary from state to state. They  also change somewhat frequently as states adjust requirements in their efforts to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Pennsylvania, for example, currently requires special education teachers to hold certification in both special education and general education, whereas other states require only special education certification—a policy to which Pennsylvania will return a year from now. 

How do these ever-evolving policies impact teacher preparation? Do students with disabilities benefit from special education teachers with dual licensure? 

Supported by a research grant from American Education Research Association (AERA) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), Esther Lindström and Jihyun Kim are seeking answers. Specifically, they want to know if a dual-licensure requirement for special education teachers improves mathematics learning for students with disabilities. They plan to employ a rigorous quasi-experimental study design to compare achievement patterns in states with and without dual-licensure policies, prior to and following implementation.