Introduction to AEI’s Special Issue on Special Education Teacher Evaluations

The purpose of this introductory article is to provide an overview to the special issue on special education teacher evaluation. This special issue features five articles that collectively present a comprehensive review of the current state of understanding about the issues concerning devising and implementing special education teacher evaluation systems. Within this special issue are articles that provide a discussion of some of the primary challenges associated with evaluating special education teachers; an overview of the issues associated with using observation tools to measure special education teachers; and three studies that each feature a unique approach to special education teacher evaluation via opportunities to learn (My Instructional Learning Opportunities Guidance System; Classroom Observations of Student-Teacher Interactions–Mathematics) and evidence-based instructional practices (Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers). Because of the current gap in special education teacher evaluation research, we hope that this special issue will contribute to the field, and advance existing research.