Teacher attrition, especially in special education, may be the most prominent issue in the teaching profession today. The current dearth of special education teachers in the US has resulted in unqualified, unprepared educators on temporary licenses entering the field in violation of the key principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. A recent midwestern state Supply and Demand Report indicates that teacher attrition accounts for nearly ⅓ of teachers leaving the field within their first 5 years. Extant research demonstrates a clear link between special education teacher attrition and administrative support. In a two-phase study, special education teachers were interviewed to explore their reasons for staying in the profession. Phase 1 consisted of interviews with 15 special education teachers, who had remained in the classroom beyond 5 years using a grounded theory methodology. Preliminary findings suggested that teachers were more likely to remain in the profession when their building principals have qualifications and experience in special education. Phase 2 of the study, distilled phase 1 findings to focus specifically on special education teacher’s experiences of working with building principals. The study highlights the tensions between inclusion and equity, and building leaders who are not knowledgeable about special education, and who are minimally qualified to support special education teachers, students, and families. Implications for future practice and policy are discussed.

Authors:
Suzanne Gikas, Hamline University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Suzanne Gikas is currently a Professor of Practice at Hamline University, Minnesota, USA. Current interests focus on social justice in education particularly inclusive hiring and representation related to teacher attrition and retention.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-gikas-0a75b477/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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