Rising Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) senior Fatoumata Bah didn't choose special education by chance—it became her calling through family, experience and a deep belief that every child can succeed.
"The first time I stepped into the classroom, I fell in love. Teaching is a calling for me," she said. "My father was a teacher, and I saw the positive impact he had on his students."
The mother of three, whose children range in age from 5 to 15, said pursuing special education has become even more meaningful because her son is on the autism spectrum.
"All of these children are human. It's just that their brains work differently," she said. "With the right tools, support and a teacher to guide them, they can succeed like everyone else. Any student can learn."
Bah's passion reflects the philosophy of GGC's School of Education: every child deserves a teacher who recognizes possibility before challenge. Future special educators learn to build on each student's strengths, respond to diverse learning needs and create opportunities for every learner to succeed.
That approach is preparing graduates to meet one of Georgia's most pressing workforce needs while making a meaningful difference in the lives of students and families.
As more students are identified as benefiting from specialized instructional support, demand for qualified special education teachers continues to rise. In Georgia, employment for special education teachers is projected to increase by 10% through 2030, according to the Occupational Information Network. Nationally, nearly 71% of public schools report special education teacher vacancies, according to Research.com, and Georgia consistently ranks the position among its most difficult to fill.
The need is especially evident in Gwinnett County. According to Gwinnett County Public Schools' (GCPS) By the Numbers report from October 2025, more than 26,000 students—14.65% of the district's nearly 180,000 students—receive special education services.
Preparing educators to meet that demand is central to GGC's School of Education. Through extensive clinical experiences, close faculty mentorship and strong partnerships with school districts throughout the region, students graduate with the knowledge, confidence and practical experience to make an immediate impact in the classroom.
"Part of the reason we're seeing more students receiving special education services is earlier recognition and diagnosis," said Dr. Matthew Boggan, professor of special education and chair of Special Education and Social Foundations at GGC. "These students have tremendous strengths and learn in different ways. Special education teachers develop individualized instructional plans that build on those strengths while providing the support students need to achieve their academic goals."
Strong partnerships with local school districts also create a direct pathway from GGC classrooms to area schools like Discovery High School in Lawrenceville.
"This past year, 14 of our 16 graduates (88%) in special education were hired by GCPS," Boggan said. "Over the last 10 years, more than 90% of our program's graduates have been hired by GCPS across the entire School of Education."
Recent graduate Nimat Muhammad shares Bah's desire to make a lasting difference in students' lives.
Muhammad, who earned her bachelor's degree in education with a concentration in special education in May, is preparing to begin her first year as a classroom teacher after serving more than two decades as a paraprofessional at McNair Middle School in Atlanta.
"I've been a paraprofessional for more than 20 years, and McNair is a second home to me," she said. "My love language is providing that voice and safe place for my students and their parents, too. I want them to feel seen and heard and know that I'm walking with them side by side."
Dr. LaTonya Harris, assistant professor of special education at GGC, believes that sense of purpose is at the heart of the profession.
"Teachers are the first line of defense in helping students become productive citizens," she said. "Our goal is to prepare teachers who are ready on day one to create learning environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive and reach their fullest potential."
The college's outcomes reflect that commitment. Ninety-two percent of School of Education graduates receive job offers before graduation, and 94% pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators exam required for teacher licensure.
"Our students spend significant time in K-12 classrooms before they graduate," Boggan said. "They take what they learn in their coursework and immediately apply it through clinical experiences. By the time they begin teaching, they have already developed the confidence and practical skills that schools are looking for."
Bah, Muhammad and countless future educators see special education as far more than teaching academic content. It is about recognizing each student's unique strengths, partnering with families and helping young people discover what they are capable of achieving.
It’s that combination of preparation and purpose that makes special education such a rewarding profession.
“You can liken it to being a GPS,” Harris said. “You give your students direction, and there may be disruptions along the way. But like a GPS, you can reroute them to get to the same destination as other students. Being a teacher takes planning, organization and, most of all, passion.”
At GGC, that commitment shapes every future educator the college prepares, ensuring graduates enter the classroom ready to empower students, strengthen communities and help every learner build a future filled with possibility.
View and download special education gallery photos and b-roll.