ATLANTA, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Soliant, a leading healthcare and education staffing firm, launched the Soliant Special Education Scholarship program. The program provides a $5,000 scholarship to fund the growth and development of an education professional who serves students with disabilities will also raising awareness of the growing need for more qualified professionals and the challenges faced by the special education workforce.
"Special education professionals are at the heart of meeting the needs of students with disabilities,” said Lesley Slaughter, SVP at Soliant. “While solving these challenges requires broader changes, we’re focusing on what we can do now to support dedicated professionals and raise awareness of the issues they face. The Soliant Special Education Scholarship is part of our ongoing effort to empower K-12 education professionals and help them sustain their passion for serving students.”
Currently, only 20 states meet the requirements set by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which mandates that students with disabilities are provided with the special education and related service programming they need. Despite a 15% increase in the number of students requiring these services, many states fall short of compliance. In 2024, over 30 states have been categorized as “Needs Assistance,” up from 27 last year. Additionally, two-thirds of these states have struggled with compliance for more than two consecutive years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Determination Letters on State Implementation of IDEA Part B.
This gap in services is further exacerbated by persistent challenges within the special education workforce, including:
- Over half of districts and 80% of states reported a shortage of special education professionals in 2023-24. (U.S. Department of Education)
- The demand for special education professionals is growing at nearly 4x faster than the number of students identified for services. (NCES Digest of Education Statistics)
- Only 1 in 7 districts offer financial incentives to recruit or retain teachers for hard-to-staff roles, leaving special education professionals with similar pay to peers. (NCES)
- Less than half (43%) of large urban districts offer incentives for special education professionals despite the increased need. (National Council on Teacher Quality)
In light of these issues, and as part of Soliant’s commitment to support dedicated education professionals, the scholarship aims to help advance careers, enhance expertise and empower special education professionals to continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of students.
Applications for the Soliant Special Education Scholarship are now open. Special education professionals currently employed in an educational setting or pursuing a relevant degree can submit an online application, including proof of employment or enrollment, a 500-word essay detailing how the scholarship will enhance their career and benefit students and a letter of recommendation.
The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025. For more details and to apply, visit www.soliant.com/special-education-scholarship.
###
About Soliant
Soliant is a leader in health care and education staffing with offices in Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, California, and Texas. The company identifies and recruits highly skilled health care professionals across a wide range of specialties and connects them with health care providers in the education, nursing, pharmacy, and life sciences segments, primarily on a temporary basis. For more information, visit www.soliant.com.
Attachment
