Behind the Curtain – Developing Pipelines for Non-Traditional Students to Address Teacher-Shortages and Increase Teacher-Retention

Discover how innovative, district-university partnerships are advancing teacher preparation pathways to strengthen special educator recruitment and retention. This session highlights sustainable paraprofessional-to-teacher pipelines and “grow-your-own” strategies, showcasing collaborative efforts, impactful progress, and key lessons learned in preparing the next generation of special education professionals.Participants will be able to: 1. Identify key components of successful paraprofessional-to-teacher pipeline models that support the recruitment and retention of special educators, with a focus on removing barriers to licensure and promoting equity in both rural and urban contexts to address the workforce challenge. 2. Explore and evaluate strategies for building sustainable and strong district-university partnerships that support “grow your own” initiatives, including a behind-the-scenes look at how such collaborations are initiated, nurtured, and aligned with local workforce needs. 3. Gain insight into the collaborative processes, shared responsibilities, and communication structures that make these partnerships effective. 4. Apply practical tools, lessons learned, and implementation strategies to develop similar innovative pathways between EPPs and school districts.