Statistics describing the special education profession are dismal at best. Above-average administrative and emotional demands coupled with insufficient pay and long hours mean many schools are struggling to attract and retain qualified teachers. This puts some administrators on high alert, worried about filling vacancies as veteran teachers retire and forcing some to consider alternative sources of recruits. (NPR)

Eleanor Dearman is a former reporting fellow. She majored in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. She has also interned for the San Antonio Express-News in its Austin bureau covering Texas...