Experience of Black Male Special Education Teachers: Are Alternative Licensure Programs the Desired Route for Recruitment and Preparation?

Many Black men interested in special education careers enroll in alternate route special education programs over traditional preparation programs. However, there is little research that focuses on their reasons for choosing special education alternate route programs and what makes these programs an effective choice for Black men pursuing teaching careers in special education. This qualitative study interviewed Black men regarding (a) reasons they chose an alternate route special education program, (b) core components of the program they found effective, and (c) support needs once they exited programming. Several themes emerged from this study and indicated that funding, targeted recruitment, and mentoring from Black faculty were among important factors for recruitment and retention. Recommendations for the field, implications and recommendations for policy and practice, and future research are also discussed.