Pa. commits nearly $ 1M to train special education teachers

Several Pittsburgh-area schools are involved with providing instruction.

The Shapiro administration is investing nearly $1 million to train more special education teachers across Pennsylvania, part of a broader effort to address ongoing staffing shortages in classrooms.

State officials announced this week that 11 colleges and universities will receive giants to expand the Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification. The funding will support about 175 additional teachers, bringing the total number of participants in the program to more than 450 statewide.

The program, launched in 2023, is designed to help people already working in schools — including paraeducators and those on emergency permits — earn full certification while continuing to work.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Came Rowe said the initiative is aimed at strengthening the teacher pipeline and ensuring students with disabilities have access to qualified instructors.

“People like Nick Tanzillo and Jieh Xuan Pan were already showing up for students every day. What they needed was a pathway to earn their full teacher certification without putting their lives or careers on hold. That’s exactly what this accelerated program provides,” Rowe said. “By partnering with institutions like East Stroudsburg University, we’re helping dedicated Pennsylvanians move into the classrooms where they’re needed most and making sure students with disabilities have access to the highly qualified teachers they deserve.”

Nick Tanzillo, a special education teacher with Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 who completed the program in its first cohort, said the accelerated pathway made certification possible while balancing work and family responsibilities.

“The Accelerated Grant Program created an opportunity that once felt out of reach, the ability to become a certified special education teacher while continuing to work and support my family. The mentorship, field experience, and course work worked together to accelerate my growth as an educator,” Tanzillo said. “Because of that investment, my students now benefit from a classroom led by someone who understands their needs from years of hands-on experience.”

Jieh Xuan (Tina) Pan, a special education teacher with Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 who completed the program in 2024 after working as a paraeducator, said the experience helped her move into a lead teaching role.

“This accelerated program gave me the opportunity to grow from a paraprofessional who loved supporting students into a certified teacher leading my own classroom,” Pan said. “As a single mom, it wasn’t always easy but now I get to help my students learn, grow and celebrate the small victories that make this work so meaningful.”

According to the state Department of Education, participants complete an accelerated postbaccalaureate program in about 18 months while receiving mentoring, instructional coaching and at least 12 weeks of student teaching. Programs are offered in both in-person and virtual formats to accommodate working adults.

Since its launch, the administration has invested $3.5 million into the initiative.

Among the schools receiving funding in this round are several with a local footprint, including Penn State University, Point Park University and Robert Morris University- Additionally, Pittsburgh-Mount Oliver Intermediate Unit 2 was awarded a separate Paraeducator Advancement Grant, which will help current school staff earn degrees and certification at no cost while continuing to work in classrooms. That program is expected to support participants through 2028.

Statewide, 12 intermediate units — including Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 — will share those grants, which officials say could help about 150 people become certified teachers.

East Stroudsburg University, a three-time grant recipient , has partnered with school districts and Northampton Community College to remove barriers for prospective educators.

Dr. Brooke Langan, dean of East Stroudsburg University’s College of Education, said the funding supports ongoing efforts to address the teacher shortage.

“East Stroudsburg University is thankful to receive grant funding once again for the Accelerated Special Educator Certification. The objective of this grant falls in line with a variety of other initiatives ESU’s College of Education is working on to help put well-prepared teachers in classrooms and alleviate the teacher shortage in the commonwealth,” Langan said. “We are always working closely with area school districts to address the need for teachers including creating post-baccalaureate opportunities such as this accelerated Special Educator Certification program.”

The accelerated certification program is one of several strategies the state is using to boost its educator workforce. Officials say more than 25,000 teaching certifications have been issued since the 2021-22 school year, reversing a previous decline.