Identifying Well-Prepared Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Federal Legislation Versus Inconsistent State Requirements.

Abstract

Luft is professor emerita, School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, College of Education, Health and Human Services, Kent State University, Kent, OH. She was president of the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) from 2018 to 2020. Fischgrund is adjunct faculty, Department of Special Education, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA. He was CED executive director from 2012 to 2019. Eardley is the owner of Future Endeavors Consulting, Cleveland, OH. Tanner is a teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students, Pasco County (FL) Schools. Reusser is a staff interpreter, Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center. Eardley, Tanner, and Reusser were graduate assistants at Kent State University when the research for the present article was conducted.Teacher shortages and alternative licensure requirements, in combination with inconsistent state licensure regulations, suggest that not all teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students have the expertise to successfully educate their students. Most national, regional, and specialized professional accreditations do not assess DHH-specific instructional and communication proficiencies, and thus may contribute to DHH students' low achievement levels relative to those of their hearing peers. The study surveyed teaching licensure requirements across the 50 states and District of Columbia regarding compliance with federal requirements and state variations. Results showed that 39% of states did not require a DHH-specific teacher-training program; 45% did not employ a DHH-specific licensure exam. Only 25% required documentation of language/communication skills. A specialized accrediting organization, such as the Council on Education of the Deaf, could help identify well-prepared teachers to fill current and future vacancies and thereby improve DHH students' achievement.