Oregon Special Education
Recruitment and Retention Project

A collaborative effort between the Oregon Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Teaching Research at Western Oregon University to recruit and retain qualified special education personnel in the state of Oregon.

• Job Seekers
  • Main Jobs Clearinghouse Page
  • Register for the Job Seeker List and have your contact information sent to school districts and ESDs.
    Word format or PDF format
    Fax, mail or email form.
  • Search for Jobs
  • Search ESD and School Job Sites
  • Other on-line Job Sites
  • Interview Tips
  • Resume Tips
  • Career Service Offices at Oregon Institutions( For Career Fairs)
  • Learn about Oregon's Education Service Districts and schools.
  • edZapp  Online recruiting and hiring site.
• Job Providers
  • Advertise Jobs
    • Download the Jobs form (PDF format)-31K
  • Job Seeker Listing
  • Career Service Offices at Oregon Institutions( For on-campus recruiting and posting jobs)
  • On-line application through Teach Oregon pages.

• Teacher Preparation
  • TSPC approved teacher preparation Programs in Oregon
  • Oregon University System
  • Distance Education Courses and Programs
  • Grow Your Own Programs
    • recruitment products and publications
    • Continuum of Grow Your Own Programs
      • General Career Awareness Activities
      • Extracurricular Clubs
      • Institutes and Workshops
      • Curricular Offerings
      • Magnet Schools or Teacher Academies
• Teacher Certification
  • How and where can I get license application forms?
  • The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) is an independent licensing agency that operates under Oregon Administrative Rules. Teacher Standards and Practices Commission's mission is to ensure that every student is provided with a competent and ethical educator.
  • Alternative Programs are those licensure programs approved by TSPC which are delivered in a non-traditional format. This format can include distance delivery, off-campus instruction and a combination of alternative methods along with traditional methods.
  • Special Education and Highly Qualified Teacher Policies: Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.
• EI/ECSE Authorization Process
• Resources
  • Search our on-line Resource Index
  • Topical Links - Contains numerous links to assist teachers in the areas of assessment, curriculum, behavior management, diversity, disability, team building and more.
  • ODE's Office of Special Education Programs (For information on Regional programs, Talented and Gifted, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education and more!)
  • Education Week- Online Newspaper covering education related topics.
  • Special Education News - In-depth, timely news related to educating students with disabilities.
• Professional Development Opportunities
  • Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
  • Oregon Education Association - Calendar of Events.
• Finding a Job in Oregon
  See Recruitment and Retention Project JOBS Clearinghouse section above.
• Support
  • CEC Teacher Support page. This resource contains links to managing stress, time management, collaboration, and strategies for success.
  • Using Observation and Feedback
  • Mentoring Programs
  • Dealing with Stress
  • Strategies for being successful in the classroom
  • Using Self Reflection
  • Connect with other teachers - Professional Organizations
  • Share your questions and your expertise with other special educators Discussion Group and Listserv Lists
• Teacher Salaries
  • Western and Mountain Plain States - Salary Survey

• Education and Training
  • Programs in Oregon
  • Oregon University System
  • Distance Education Courses and Programs
• Certification
  • Licensure page (Text page)
  • EI/ECSE Authorization Process
• Professional Development Opportunities
  • Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
  • Oregon Education Association - Calendar of Events.
• Resources
  • Topical Links - Contains numerous links to assist administrators in the areas of assessment, action research, mentoring, curriculum, behavior management, diversity, disability, team building and more.
  • Search our on-line Resource Index
  • ODE's Office of Special Education Programs (For information on Regional programs, Talented and Gifted, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education and more!)
  • Education Week- Online Newspaper covering education related topics.
  • Special Education News - In-depth, timely news related to educating students with disabilities.
• Finding a Job See Recruitment and Retention Project JOBS Clearinghouse section above.
• Support
  • Dealing with Stress
  • Connect with other administrators - Professional Organizations
  • Share your questions and your expertise with other special educators Discussion Group and Listserv Lists

• Education and Training
  • Related Services Programs
  • Oregon University System
  • Distance Education Courses and Programs
• Certification/Licensure Main page
  • EI/ECSE Authorization Process
• Professional Development Opportunities
  • Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
  • Oregon Education Association - Calendar of Events.
• Resources
  • Recruiting and retaining Speech-Language Pathologists.
  • Topical Links - Contains numerous links to assist related service professionals in the areas of assessment, action research, mentoring, curriculum, behavior management, diversity, disability, team building and more.
  • Search our on-line Resource Index
  • ODE's Office of Special Education Programs (For information on Regional programs, Talented and Gifted, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education and more!)
  • Education Week- Online Newspaper covering education related topics.
  • Special Education News - In-depth, timely news related to educating students with disabilities.
• Related Services Jobs See Recruitment and Retention Project JOBS Clearinghouse section above.
• Support
  • Connect with others in your field - Professional Organizations
  • Share your questions and your expertise with other special educators Discussion Group and Listserv Lists

• Education and Training
  • Blue Mountain Community College: Paraeducator (Educational Assistant) Program
  • Chemeketa Community College: Speech Language Pathology Assisting Program
  • Clackamas Community College: Paraeducator Certificate Program
  • Columbia Gorge Community College: Paraeducator Program
  • Klamath Community College: Paraeducator/Education Assistant Program
  • Mt. Hood Community College: Physical Therapist Assistant Program
  • Portland Community College: Instructional Assisting: Special Education
  • Tillamook Bay Community College: Paraeducator Program
  • Umpqua Community College: Instructional Assistant
• Licensure
  • EI/ECSE Authorization Process
• Professional Development Opportunities
  • Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
• Paraprofessional Jobs See Recruitment and Retention Project JOBS Clearinghouse section above.
• Support
  • Search our on-line Resource Index
  • Topical Links - Contains numerous links to assist paraprofessionals in the areas of behavior management, diversity, disability, team building and more.
  • Share your questions and your expertise with other special educators Discussion Group and Listserv Lists
  • National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals
  • AFT Paraprofessional and School-Related Personnel
  • NEA Education Support Professionals
  • Education World - Online Newspaper covering education related topics.
  • Special Education News - In-depth, timely news related to educating students with disabilities.

Marketing Your School/District
In order to effectively market your school or district, you first need to have in place an overall plan for recruitment which is supported by a separate budget. Items to look at when developing your plan include:

1. Distribute brochures and fact sheets to promote your community and school. Make sure materials are attractive and contain a clear, direct message. Invest in high quality promotional materials that address the position, the community, compensation, school culture and curriculum.
   • What to include: Materials designed to attract potential job candidates.
   • example.
2. Advertise positions on the internet. School websites are fast becoming the preferred method of advertising jobs. Just as with traditional marketing materials, make sure that your school website is high-quality and sends the message that you want represented.
   • JOBS Clearinghouse, the Recruitment and Retention Project's on-line jobs page.
   • Other on-line jobs pages.
3. Advertise positive points about your community:
   • Visit Oregon Pages, a guide to the diverse regions in Oregon.
   • Proximity to Higher Education opportunities
4. Promote Special Education as a career Recruitment Tool Kit (National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education).
   
   
5. Present at Job Fairs (both in state and out of state)

1. Oregon Salary Survey - 'How Oregon Stacks Up'
2. signing bonuses
3. longevity bonuses
4. willingness to negotiate salary

1. Mentoring programs
2. Professional Development Opportunities
   • provided by district
   • Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
   • Oregon Education Association - Calendar of Events.
3. technology
4. low case load

1. Recruit Graduates of Oregon Programs. Click for information about ways to post job announcements, dates of job fairs and information on setting up interviews.
2. Attend university recruiting days. Click for links to Career Service Offices at Oregon Institutions.
3. Grow Your Own Programs
   • (Middle and High School)
   • Paraeducator programs - Recruit and support current employees who are working as paraeducators as a source of potential teachers.
   • Mid-career programs - Recruit and support professionals who are interested in changing careers and pursuing teaching as a profession.
   • Recent college graduates - Target individuals from the community who are recent graduates having a degree in the subject they would teach.
4. Recruiting and retaining Speech-Language Pathologists. Includes recruitment materials and information about upcoming career fairs.
5. Recruitment Resources from on-line, journals and literature reviews.
6. Actively seek student teacher placements.
7. Share applicant pools with neighboring agencies.

1. Search for jobs in Oregon on the JOBS Clearinghouse
2. Other on-line job sites
3. Preparation Programs in Oregon
   • Programs in Oregon
   • Related Services Programs

During 2002, the Recruitment and Retention Project conducted a survey of first and second year special education teachers in Oregon to address the following recruitment factors:

• How individuals found their current position.
• Factors related to accepting the employment.
• Positive and negative experiences in the application, interview and hiring process.
• The incidence and helpfulness of induction activities.
• The incidence and helpfulness of initial support (transition) activities.
• The incidence and importance of ongoing support activities.
• Factors associated with leaving previous employment.
• Factors related to leaving current employment, Oregon, and the profession.

Click to download detailed findings related to recruiting Special Education personnel.

1. Suggestions to Improve Retention (Suggestions for administrators to improve teacher's working environment by providing adequate support and reducing role ambiguity).
2. Retaining Experienced Teachers (Strategies include orientation activities, improving collegiality, professional development, recognizing achievement and providing adequate resources).
3. Strategies for School-Based Administrators (Strategies school-based administrators can use to increase retention of special education personnel).
4. Strategies for District-Wide Administrators (Strategies for district-wide administrators to support special education professionals).
5. Developmental Phases of Beginning Teachers and strategies mentors can use to support them.
6. Retention Resources from on-line, journals and literature reviews.

1. Council for Exceptional Children - Professional Development Training and Events.
2. Oregon Education Association - Calendar of Events.

1. Provide support for newly hired teachers through Orientation and administrative support.
2. Share your questions and your expertise with other special educators Discussion Group and Listserv Lists
3. Strategies classroom professionals can use to support themselves
4. Tips for Classroom Personnel (Click for stress management ideas, including ideas for improving organization, dealing with change and keeping a positive attitude).
5. Coaching and Demonstration (Click for a process to teach strategies, techniques or skills in natural setting).

1. Bridges to Success - Materials for developing your own mentoring program.
2. Implement a mentoring program for beginning teachers.
3. Addressing the concerns of beginning teachers. (Actions and strategies for mentors.)
4. Stages in a Mentoring Partnership.
5. Using Observation and Feedback. Mentoring strategies to improve teaching skills.
6. Mentoring Resources
7. Mentoring Links

During 2002, the Recruitment and Retention Project conducted a survey of first and second year special education teachers in Oregon to address the following retention factors:

• The incidence and helpfulness of induction activities.
• The incidence and helpfulness of initial support (transition) activities.
• The incidence and importance of ongoing support activities.
• Factors associated with leaving previous employment.
• Factors related to leaving current employment, Oregon, and the profession.

What's New?

Find Jobs in Oregon | Teachers | Supervisors | Related Services | Paraprofessionals
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Teaching Research * Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR 97361 * 1-800-764-6566 * rrp@wou.edu