A case study: The challenges encountered by four high school special education teachers on the journey to become highly qualified in Georgia

The purpose of this qualitative study was to illustrate the uniqueness of the ''highly qualified'' mandate for special education teachers. In order to be considered ''highly qualified'' special education teachers must have a bachelor's degree or higher, meet full state certification and demonstrate subject area knowledge for every core subject taught. ''Highly qualified'' is a term that is often questioned by educators. What constitutes a ''highly qualified'' special education teacher? Also, are qualified teachers really quality teachers, and what makes the ''highly qualified'' demand different for special education teachers? In addition, states are struggling to meet the demand for ''highly qualified'' special education teachers amidst a shortage of special education teachers. In order to understand the process established by states or districts to assist special education teachers to become highly qualified, this case study examined the various methods, strategies, and programs employed by four special education teachers on their journey to become highly qualified. The conceptual framework for this study is Merriam's (1998) use of theory that employs interlocking frames that will reveal themes and patterns. The data in this study were collected using interviews, questionnaires, review of literature and document analysis. The results described the impact the highly qualified definition had on four special education teachers who teach core subjects. An inductive analysis of the data collected suggested relationships and patterns in the responses of the participants. All participants expressed the desire to receive more communication and financial assistance from the county or state on assisting them to meet the highly qualified demand of the NCLB Act. There were also strong opinions as to the competency of school officials designated to answer any questions or provide guidance regarding the law's requirement. There were substantive recommendations to improve the dissemination of information and to provide assistance to educators on the journey to become highly qualified. Additionally, the study's data and information gathered were reflective of only four teachers from one high school in Georgia. Therefore, readers of this study must make decisions regarding the generalizability to another school, district, or state.