In a move that reflects both a growing national crisis and a renewed commitment to inclusivity, Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SE) has announced the launch of a new Master of Education concentration in Special Education, focusing specifically on Autism and Developmental Disabilities. The program, developed in partnership with education technology provider Risepoint, will welcome its first cohort of students in January 2026. This timely initiative arrives as schools across the United States, and indeed around the world, grapple with persistent shortages of qualified special education teachers and mounting challenges in supporting students with diverse needs.
According to recent figures cited by PRNewswire and Journal Record, more than half of U.S. school districts and 80 percent of states reported shortages of special education teachers during the 2023-2024 academic year. Each year, approximately 46,000 special education teachers leave public schools, while fewer than 30,000 new educators enter the field. The resulting gap has left many students—particularly those with autism and developmental disabilities—at risk of falling through the cracks.
Oklahoma has responded to this urgent need by offering signing bonuses of up to $20,000 in 2025 and 2026 to attract and retain special education teachers. Yet, as the numbers make clear, the demand far outpaces the supply. SE’s new graduate concentration aims to help bridge this gap by equipping current and aspiring teachers with the expertise, practical strategies, and applied tools necessary to serve students with autism and developmental disabilities effectively.
“This program reflects Southeastern’s dedication to preparing educators for the needs of today’s classrooms,” said Dr. Kathleen Booth, Associate Professor and Special Education Program Area Coordinator at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, in a statement to Journal Record. “By focusing on autism and developmental disabilities, we are equipping teachers with the expertise to support learners who need it most while also advancing their own careers.”
The curriculum is designed with working teachers in mind, emphasizing affordability, accessibility, and immediate applicability. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on strategies, participants will learn how to better support students with autism and developmental disabilities—students who, as recent reports from the BBC and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) in England highlight, often struggle to access appropriate educational opportunities.
Fernando Bleichmar, CEO of Risepoint, underscored the significance of the new concentration: “Southeastern Oklahoma State University has a long tradition of preparing effective educators serving in their communities and beyond. This new concentration in autism and developmental disabilities builds on that tradition by providing teachers with the advanced skills schools urgently require. We are proud to support Southeastern in making this program accessible to more working adults through our continued partnership.”
The timing of SE’s announcement could hardly be more critical. In England, a major report by the IPPR described support for children with special educational needs as “fundamentally flawed,” calling for more comprehensive support in mainstream schools that can be accessed without lengthy assessments. The BBC’s coverage on October 22, 2025, brought to light the personal stories of young people like Evie and Arav, who faced daunting obstacles in securing an education that met both their academic and physical needs.
Evie, 18, told the BBC, “There’s a massive gap in the Send system for people like me. There were schools that could meet my complex health and mobility needs, but the level of learning was incredibly low. There were schools that were able to handle my social and emotional needs and offer higher academic level courses, but they could only handle wheelchair users that didn’t need the level of care I did.” Evie’s experience of spending three years at home, unable to access appropriate education, is a stark reminder of what’s at stake when systems fail to provide for students with complex needs.
Similarly, Arav, a 12-year-old boy from Warwick, secured a place at a special school only after his parents won a tribunal. His head teacher, Laura Hyatt, noted, “This year we had about nine spaces available. We could probably fill the school twice over if we had the capacity.” Such stories illustrate that the shortage of special education teachers and resources is not confined to the U.S. but is a widespread issue with real consequences for children and families.
Back in Oklahoma, the hope is that SE’s new program will make a tangible difference. By providing a pathway for educators to deepen their expertise in autism and developmental disabilities, the university is not only addressing a workforce shortage but also empowering teachers to implement practical solutions in their classrooms. The program’s emphasis on strategies that can be put to use immediately is especially important for working teachers who are often juggling multiple responsibilities.
The need for such initiatives is echoed in the IPPR’s recommendations for England, which include introducing a new statutory layer of Additional Learning Support in mainstream schools, managed by schools with extra funding and training. The report also calls for reforms to the current Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) model, which has seen the number of pupils with plans more than double since 2016. About one in five pupils in England—1.7 million children—receive some form of special educational needs support, with 482,640 receiving the highest level through EHCPs.
Betsey, another young person interviewed by the BBC, shared how a late diagnosis of autism meant she missed out on vital support during her school years. “I feel like I was disregarded a bit,” she said. “But it’s also because schools just don’t have the resources and funding to cater for all the needs of Send students.” Her story, and those like hers, underline the importance of teacher training and systemic support—areas that SE’s new program directly addresses.
The Department for Education in England has responded to the IPPR report by pledging £740 million to create more specialist school places and to improve training for teachers. A spokesperson told the BBC, “Work is already under way to make sure support is available as routine and at the earliest stage—including through improved training for teachers, £740m to create more specialist school places, earlier intervention for speech and language needs and embedding Send leads in our Best Start Family Hubs in every local area.”
Applications for SE’s Spring 2026 cohort are now open, and the university hopes that its new offering will serve as a model for other institutions seeking to address the special education teacher shortage. As the landscape of special education continues to evolve, programs like this one may prove essential in ensuring that all students—regardless of diagnosis or disability—have the opportunity to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
For educators, students, and families alike, the stakes could hardly be higher. The launch of Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s new concentration is a step toward a future where every child’s educational needs are met with expertise, empathy, and determination.
