Iowa graduate Lauren Schafer is making a big impact in a field that needs future leaders.
PHOTO: John Emigh
Special education teacher Lauren Schafer holds a favorite classroom read-aloud book at Hoover Elementary in Iowa City.
Lauren Schafer (24BA, 25MA) is always on the go.
The first-year elementary special education teacher covers more than 6 miles a day within the halls of Hoover Elementary School in Iowa City. While she treks a remarkable amount of ground between bells, her work with special education students—both in classroom and 1-on-1 settings—is more important than ever.
Class of 2024
College of Education
Her goal is to always instill confidence.
“Sometimes the general classroom isn’t always accessible for my students, and that’s difficult on them,” she says. “I advocate for them and teach them to advocate for themselves. I want them to feel valued and capable—even if some things are difficult.”
Schafer is one of more than 5,700 UI College of Education graduates working in all 99 Iowa counties as teachers, superintendents, principals, counselors, and media specialists. Amid a U.S. teacher shortage, Schafer and other Hawkeye educators are bringing energy and commitment to today’s classrooms.
According to the Iowa Department of Education, special education was identified as the most in-need teaching specialty for the 2025–26 academic year. Schafer knew she wanted to pursue this important work since she was young.
“I played teacher with my stuffed animals in elementary school,” she says. “The dream to teach grew from there.”
Growing up in Iowa City, her ambitions began to blossom as she babysat, volunteered with students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, and took college-level classes in high school through the Kirkwood Community College Education Academy—a dual-credit program offered in collaboration with Kirkwood and Iowa. Schafer remembers one impactful class taught by Mark McDermott (09PhD), a faculty member in the UI College of Education.
“He was such a fun person to learn from and is so passionate for education and teaching,” says Schafer. “Through all of my experiences, I learned that I liked working with younger kids.”
At Iowa and its College of Education—the state’s No. 1 teacher education program—Schafer pursued an accelerated program that allowed her to earn a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in special education in just five years. She was able to focus on her studies, in part, because of scholarship support.
“The scholarships I received at Iowa were very important,” says Schafer. “We have such a shortage of teachers right now, and there are so many of us who are in it for the students and the love for teaching. Scholarship support helps remove a barrier that so many future educators face.”
Within the UI College of Education—which has an 11-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio—she learned about behavior analysis, literacy for students with disabilities, and how to manage the ups and downs of the teaching profession. She put that knowledge to work while student teaching at an elementary school in Tiffin, Iowa.
“There’s such a big concern with teacher burnout and turnover right now, and I learned in my master’s cohort that it’s important to form relationships with others and just have someone to talk to,” says Schafer. “When I’ve had a difficult day or class, it’s easy for me to reach out to someone.”
Within the Iowa City Community School District, Schafer is part of a first-year mentor program that pairs her up with a lead support teacher—which allows her to talk through classroom situations. She also has maintained a close connection to Morgan Bailey (24BA, 25MA), a former classmate who is a special education teacher at Lemme Elementary in Iowa City.
Schafer says she feels prepared to help her students succeed and hopes to motivate more Hawkeyes to choose this rewarding career path.
“Children with disabilities have such high potential,” says Schafer. “When we assume competence, we help them reach their full potential—and I hope that the next generation of educators will be inspired to pursue this important work.”
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