Paid Teacher Residencies: An Equity Lever for Transforming Washington State’s Education System

This report offers a new analysis of how Washington State—and other states too—can focus funding on developing a targeted plan to address special education needs. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, special education placements have been increasing, which will exacerbate shortages and may reflect an increase in inappropriate special education referrals. We outline a plan for a three-year roll-out of well-designed special education residencies that would both better address learning intervention needs and eliminate special education shortages in the highest-need geographies.