USVI Faces Special Education Staffing Crisis Amid Evaluation Backlogs, Red Tape and Rising Needs

The Virgin Islands is facing challenges in filling crucial special education positions even as the number of known neurodivergent students increases. That was the testimony of both the V.I. Department of Education and a recruiter of special education professionals during a hearing dedicated to special education on Friday.

Members of the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development listened as Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington outlined what she referred to as a “growing need for special education teachers and paraprofessionals” in both districts. Insufficient staffing means VIDE has fallen behind in evaluating students who may need to access special education services, something that appears to have become a chronic issue for the department.

VIDE will soon have to comply with a 2007 consent decree, which aims to “address specific deficiencies in the Virgin Islands special education services.” Among its provisions are “ensuring or enhancing procedures for evaluating and determining eligibility for special education services.”

However, the failure to conduct timely evaluations is compounded by the already-established shortage of specialized teachers. According to Wells-Hedrington, the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School needs two special education teachers and four paraprofessionals, while the John H. Woodson Jr. High School needs one teacher and three paraprofessionals. VIDE is also grappling with rising costs where contracting therapists is concerned. “Because we don't have the personnel on hand, we have to contract the services,” the commissioner explained, telling senators that hourly rates have increased.

“Despite continuous recruitment efforts, securing qualified permanent staff has been challenging,” added Assistant Commissioner Victor Somme III. At the start of the school year, eight psychologist positions were vacant. The department recorded some success in March, however, hiring two bilingual school-certified psychologists through partnerships with two staffing agencies. Another partnership is also helping VIDE chip away at the backlog of evaluations. “This agency has successfully conducted psychological assessments and submitted reports for a limited number of students,” Mr. Somme explained.