Special Olympics Chairman Declares 2026 the Year of the Teacher: Teaching Inclusion in a Divided World

• Dr. Timothy Shriver's 2026 State of Inclusion in Education Letter warns of a global teacher shortage, now at 44 million vacancies, affecting millions of students, with the most devastating consequences for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Without urgent investment in recruiting, training, and supporting inclusive educators, learning gaps will widen and needed progress toward inclusive education will stall worldwide.
• Evidence from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America shows that investing in inclusive teacher training improves learning outcomes for all students, not only those with disabilities.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Special Olympics has issued a powerful global call to action, warning that the world is facing a critical shortage of teachers that threatens the future of millions of students, most critically, learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

UNESCO estimates the world will need 44 million new teachers by 2030 to meet basic education demands. In low-income countries, up to 90 percent of children with disabilities remain out of school. In countries facing severe teacher shortages, average class sizes have ballooned to nearly 60 students in primary schools, compared to the OECD average of 21. These gaps are largest where the need is greatest.

In his annual State of Inclusion in Education Letter, titled "The Year of the Teacher: Teaching Inclusion in a Divided World," Special Olympics Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver urges governments and global institutions to prioritize long-term investment in teacher recruitment, training, and support.

A Global Emergency for Learning and Belonging

The letter, developed in collaboration with the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education in Abu Dhabi, comes at a time when education systems face the pressures of conflict and displacement. Dr. Shriver stresses that in these uncertain times, students with intellectual disabilities are the first to be left out of school or the last to be considered in policy and planning.

Dr. Shriver describes "an urgent global teacher shortage" as an impending crisis with global consequences. Teachers worldwide are carrying unsustainable burdens amid conflict, displacement, climate disruption, and rising mental health challenges. These pressures have created overcrowded classrooms, reduced teaching quality, and limited learning opportunities that disproportionately affect students with IDD.

He warns: "Teachers are the frontline builders of empathy, inclusion, and stability. But their ability to bridge divides and foster belonging is under threat, and they cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. Inclusion must be recognized as a critical human right... and be funded, measured, and maintained with the same urgency as roads, bridges, and health systems."

Dr. Shriver explains when teachers disappear from the classroom, opportunity disappears for each student. Without well-prepared teachers, inclusive and equitable education cannot be achieved, and the most marginalized students suffer most.

Four Focus Areas for Global Education Leaders

Dr. Shriver's 2026 State of Inclusion in Education Letter sets out four urgent focus areas for governments, donors, and education leaders:

• Long-term funding: Commit to a minimum of 5-year funding cycles with 3% annual increases indexed to inflation for teacher recruitment and retention, including pathways for teachers with disabilities.
• Mandatory inclusivity training: Embedding inclusivity and utilizing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in all teacher licensing programs by 2028, rather than treating it as a peripheral initiative.
• Teacher well-being: Protect teacher well-being and elevate the profession, so every educator is respected, resourced, and retained.
• School inclusion programs: Invest in school-based inclusion programming – such as Special Olympics Unified Sports^® programming, student leadership activities, and peer mentoring – that builds belonging for students of all abilities.

Dr. Shriver concludes: "The promise of every child – and the hope of every society– depends on bold, sustained, and holistic action. History will judge us not by what we promised children, but by how we invested in the teachers who serve them."

A Global Hub for Inclusive Education

The 2026 State of Inclusion Letter is anchored in the work of the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and serving partners across all regions. Established through the generosity of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the Global Center advances inclusive education worldwide.

In 2025, the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity announced a major new grant to Special Olympics International, expanding the Global Center's reach and impact by helping equip educators with practical tools for inclusion and empowering young people worldwide.

Through the Unified Champion Schools^® program, Special Olympics partners with schools around the world to bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities through inclusive sports, whole-school activities, and youth leadership opportunities, creating cultures of respect and belonging.

About Special Olympics
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global sports movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With more than 4.6 million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and over one million coaches and volunteers in more than 200 countries and territories, Special Olympics offers over 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 60,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

About Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education
The Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education, based in Abu Dhabi, serves as a hub for global thought leadership for inclusive education through research, policy, and programming. Its mission is dedicated to the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in academic, sports, social, and community activities.

SOURCE Special Olympics International