Special Education Teacher Preparation Partnerships

Special Education Generalist Teacher Shortage Grant

The Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE) Office of Special Education is offering 2026-2027 IDEA grant funding to administrative units and local education agencies to address the critical shortage of special education teachers to Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Teacher of Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Early Childhood Special Educators and Special Education Generalists. These shortages have been the most frequently cited concern since the late 1990s and remain a persistent challenge. The funding aims to support a cohort of special education teacher candidates in meeting the requirements for full licensure.

CDE is requesting Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Administrative Units (AUs) to act as fiscal agents in collaboration with university educator preparation programs to recruit, employ, and support teacher candidates from preservice to induction. By fostering partnerships at the state, regional, and district levels, we hope to create a robust support system that ensures every student, regardless of location, has access to qualified and dedicated educators.

More information regarding the request for applications, is listed below. Or for more information you can contact Tanni Anthony at 303-503-4647.

Special Education Teacher Shortage webinar recording

More information about the grant!

The application window will open in GAINS on May 5, 2025, and will close on June 16, 2025, at 4:00 pm.
More information about GAINS is available on CDE’s website.

Partnerships between the Exceptional Student Service Unit of the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are crucial for improving outcomes for students with disabilities. For many years, these relationships have proven to be vitally important.  Here are examples highlighting their value:

• Enhance Professional Development: These partnerships provide ongoing professional development for special educators, ensuring they are equipped with the latest strategies and tools to support students with disabilities effectively.

• Innovation: Collaborations between the CDE and IHEs foster research and the development of innovative practices. This can lead to the creation of new instructional methods and technologies tailored to the needs of students with disabilities. CDE partnered with the CEEDAR Center to promote and support innovative special education course development.

• Policy and Advocacy: Joint efforts can influence policy changes at local, state, and national levels, promoting inclusive education and ensuring that the needs of students with disabilities are prioritized.  CDE has partnered with special education IHE leaders to develop the Community of Practice for Special Education Teacher Preparation Partners 

• Resource Sharing: Partnerships enable the sharing of resources, such as specialized training programs, assistive technologies, and instructional materials, which can be costly for individual schools to acquire on their own. 

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: By working together, the CDE and IHEs can collect and analyze data to identify effective practices and areas needing improvement, leading to more informed decision-making and better outcomes for students. Recently, CDE and IHE partners identified the need to support tuition reimbursement strategies for special education teacher candidates.  As a result, CDE developed the Special Education Teacher Shortage RFA.

These partnerships are essential for developing special educators skilled at developing inclusive and supportive educational environments that allow students with disabilities to thrive.

After May 5, 2025, visit the Grant Administration Implementation and Navigation System Home (GAINS) site and log in to access the grant application. Before applying, Interested applicants must complete an Intent to Apply document.  Once CDE personnel receive this document, they will verify eligibility and grant access to the application within one week.  

2025 Special Education Teacher Shortage RFA (PDF)

Special Education Teacher Shortage Information:

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is asking states to address the critical shortage of special education teachers.  According to McVey and Trinidad (2019), states identify the lack of special education teachers as the most cited shortage every year since the late 1990s. To combat this challenge, the Office of Special Education at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) will offer 2024-2025 IDEA grant funding to administrative units / local education agencies to support a cohort of special education teacher candidates in reducing the shortage of licensed personnel. These candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree, are seeking to attain their Master of Arts degree and endorsement in special education. The funds will support these candidates through one year of a two-year program. After completing the program, graduates will be fully prepared to reduce the teacher shortage and fill hard-to-staff special education teaching positions across Colorado. Grantees accepting these funds must implement a mechanism to contractually bind the special education teacher candidates to work for the district for 36 months (3 school years) after completing their coursework. If the teacher candidate fails to meet this requirement, they must return prorated tuition funds to the grantee fiscal agent, who will then return the funds to the CDE. 

Grant Application Information:

What are the project’s priority areas? 

The purpose of these funds is to aid AUs / LEAs by incentivizing and recruiting potential special education teacher candidates to complete their certification and enter the workforce, thereby reducing teacher shortages. Available grant funding will be distributed to Colorado Administrative Units / Local Education Agencies (AUs / LEAs) demonstrating high need based on priority criteria.  Preference will be given to the applicants who can provide evidence in the following areas: 

1. Regional collaborative efforts that authenticate an existing partnership between AUs/LEAs and Institutes of Higher Education (IHE). The LEA / AU must provide evidence of an established successful partnership with an educator preparation program to support teacher candidates such as ongoing mentorship, access to rural-specific professional development, and tailored support services to overcome geographical and financial barriers. 
2. IHEs or agencies may not apply for the RFA apart from an administrative unit as the fiscal agent.
3. The LEA/ AU has successfully used teacher stipends/tuition reimbursement grants or other educator talent funding opportunities to recruit and incentivize potential teacher candidates.    
4. The LEA will develop a process by which they will secure a commitment from teacher candidates to teach in hard-to-fill special education positions. The plan may include the student's completion of the program, supervision, graduation, Praxis, induction, mentorship, and a 3-year post-graduation commitment.
5. Applicants will address each of the following four objectives:

   1. Reduce the financial burden of candidates to become fully trained special education teachers.

   2. Identify how equal measures of in-kind funding (i.e., tuition reimbursement, travel expenses, fees, professional development costs, etc.) are shared by the LEA, the IHE, and other sources to reduce or offset the financial burden of the teacher candidate. 

   3. Matching funds from the LEA /AU and other sources (i.e., Local, State, IDEA, Grants) are used to augment grant funds and defray long-term debt incurred by the teacher candidate.  

   4. Provide a timeline on how funds will be strategically dispersed to decrease the likelihood that teacher candidates will not incur long-term debt. 

6. The LEA or Administrative Unit (AU) must demonstrate that they conducted a search for a fully qualified teacher and determined that no certified teacher holding the appropriate endorsement was available to staff hard-to-fill special education teacher positions. Evidence verifying that the LEA / AU has attempted to fill positions may include one or more of the following factors:      The LEA or Administrative Unit (AU) must demonstrate that they conducted a search for a fully qualified teacher and determined that no certified teacher holding the appropriate endorsement was available to staff hard to fill special education teacher positions. Evidence verifying that the LEA / AU has attempted to fill positions may include one or more of the following factors: 
   1. Geographic Location: Rural or remote areas struggle to attract qualified special education teachers.
   2. High Demand: Areas with a high number of students requiring special education services have more unfilled positions than available qualified teachers.
   3. Specialized Skills: Positions requiring specific expertise, such as working with students with severe disabilities or those needing bilingual special education services, are harder to fill.
   4. Work Environment: Schools with challenging work environments, such as those with high turnover rates or limited resources, find it difficult to retain special education teachers.
   5. Salary and Benefits: Competitive salaries and benefits are crucial. Positions offering lower compensation compared to other districts struggle to attract candidates.  
7. The LEA must provide assurances to ensure supervision and mentorship programs will be provided to novice teachers from a fully licensed special educator.   
8. Identify the plan to ensure potential teacher candidates will hold a valid Colorado Teacher Certificate or Temporary Educator Authorization (TEE) before working for the district.  
9. Prior to applying for this grant, AUs / LEAs must follow the Special Education Temporary Educator Eligibility authorization (TEE) process for employing teachers under temporary authorization. More details and information can be found on the Temporary Educator Eligibility (Initial) and Renew a Temporary Educator Eligibility (TEE) Authorization websites. 
10. Application for the Special Education Teacher Shortage RFA is submitted by a district administrator (not a teacher) and is supported by the district’s special education director.   

Grant Resources

Other Education Talent Grant Funding Opportunities:

• TEACH Colorado | Homepage | TEACH.org
• Quality Teacher Recruitment Grant Program | CDE (state.co.us)
• Educator Recruitment and Retention Program | CDE (state.co.us)
• CDE Rural Designation 23-24.docx (state.co.us)

For more information about the Special Education Teacher Shortage RFA, please contact:

Tanni Anthony,
Director
303-503-4647
Anthony_t@cde.state.co.us

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The Community of Practice (CoP) for Special Education Teacher Preparation Partners

The Community of Practice (CoP) for Special Education Teacher Preparation Partners aims to engage and build lasting relationships with special education teacher preparation partners across Colorado. This partnership between members of CDE’s Office of Special Education and special educator preparation practitioners creates a forum where dialogue, learning, and action come together for the benefit of all partners. Quarterly meetings are held using virtual, in-person, and hybrid formats.

Learn About Community of Practices

Please watch this 4 minute video "Introducing this Community of Practice" for a topic overview defining what a Community of Practice (CoP) is, CoP characteristics, and other introductory information to help you prepare for future meetings.

Meeting Information

Registration to attend (CoP) Special Education Teacher Preparation Partners Meetings

Meeting dates for SY 2025-2026: 

• October 24, 2025, 9:00 am -10:30 am.(virtual)
• February 20, 2026, 1:00-3:00 pm (Virtual)
• April 24, 2026, 1:00-3:00 pm (In- person location TBD)
• A fourth event to be announced.

To receive agendas and updates please subscribe to the Special Education Teacher Preparation Partners Listserv. 

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Questions?

For more information about the Teacher Preparation Programs, please contact:

Tanni Anthony
Director
303-503-4647
Anthony_t@cde.state.co.us

 

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