A Comparative Study of Administrator and Special Education Teacher Perceptions of Special Education Teacher Attrition and Retention

• Main Author: Sheldrake, Danielle Angelina
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 2013
• Subjects: Special education teachers > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area > Attitudes; School administrators > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area > Attitudes; Special education teachers > Workload > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area; Teacher turnover > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area > Prevention; Employee retention > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area; Special education teachers > Job satisfaction > Oregon > Portland Metropolitan Area; Labor Relations; Special Education Administration; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1499; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2498&context=open_access_etds

This mixed methods study identifies perceived causes of and solutions to the attrition of special education teachers. Researchers have documented that special education teaching positions encounter higher attrition rates than their general education peers (Katsiyannis, Zhang, & Conroy in Olivarez & Arnold, 2006; Mitchell & Arnold, 2004; Otto & Arnold, 2005; Stempien & Loeb, 2002). More than 66 administrators and 200 special education teachers/Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) employed in the Portland, Oregon metro area (Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties) completed a survey on special education teacher attrition and retention and identified what they believed are the causes of high special education teacher attrition rates and what interventions would increase rates of special education teacher retention. The results of the surveys from the two sub-groups were compared and contrasted and it was determined administrators and special education teachers share similar perceptions of the causes of high special education teacher attrition rates and similar perceptions of interventions to increase retention rates. The results were also analyzed to determine if administrators and special education teachers and TOSAs identify the same causes of special education teacher attrition and interventions to increase retention rates.