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With the implementation of Standards of Learning (SOLs) in Virginia, high school special education teachers are being required to teach subjects for which they are not trained or are completely unfamiliar. Do you think that team teaching/collaboration is a viable teaching method for this situation or should all teachers be required to return to college for training in each subject area? Or should teachers have extra training along with team teaching?

Dear Mr. Collins:

I am responding to your inquiry of Sunday, June 13 as to whether special education teachers should "return to college for training in each subject area" or whether team teaching is a viable teaching method to help students in special education with the SOL.

The Department is planning to convene a task force this fall to study several issues related to high school special education students. I expect that some recommendations will be made regarding your questions.

If additional assistance is needed, please contact Mr. Douglas Cox, director, office of special education and student services, at (804) 225-2402.

It's easy to understand why learning to teach the SOL's in all content areas would be a huge task for one secondary level teacher. Special education teachers are asked to teach every SOL to every student. Any other secondary teacher would teach only one or two content areas. You are right. Team-teaching methods seem the most viable option for special education teachers to help their students reach their goals and meet the seconday level SOL's.