• There were 69,249 job openings for special educators
• 97% of school districts reported having at least seven special education openings
• 12,241 funded special education positions were either left vacant or filled by substitutes because suitable candidates could not be found

• 612 were preschool teachers
• 385 were teachers for the hearing or visual impaired
• 2,970 were teachers for the emotionally disturbed
• 8,274 were other special education teachers

Source: Survey of Personnel Needs in Special Education (2002). Retrieved July, 2002, www.spense.org.