Current Research on Special Educator Attrition and Retention

Research over the past fifteen years is fairly clear that typically there is no one factor, but rather a host of reasons people leave Special Education or at least move from one job to another.

When Special Educators leave a position for other than personal reasons, it is usually the result of a number of factors coming together and resulting in:

• Stress: The demands of the job simply cause the Special Educator to become too stressed to continue.
• Dissatisfaction with their job: The job no longer provides satisfaction, or enough satisfaction, to overcome the negatives.
• Loss/lack of commitment: Stress, dissatisfaction, a sense of futility all lead to a loss of commitment to teaching.

In combination these things build up and lead to the decision to either leave a current position or leave the profession all together. So, what are some of the causes for stress, dissatisfaction and loss of commitment?

The research over the past 15 plus years identifies many aspects of the job as being related to attrition in Special Educator. As you proceed, keep note of those that you feel are especially relevant to your situation in the accompanying workbook.

Role ambiguity. Special Educators leave at much higher rates when they feel that they do not understand what it is they are being asked to do, have been given what they think are conflicting roles, or do not agree with what they are being asked to do.

Case loads. Individuals who have larger and more challenging case loads (for which they feel ill-prepared and under resourced) leave at higher rates than those with smaller, less demanding caseloads.

Procedural and paperwork demands. Individuals who are not able to effectively manage paperwork and procedural demands, or who feel that these demands make their job unfeasible, leave at a higher rate than those who don't.

Insufficient time. Special Educators who don't feel like there is enough time in the day to do all that is required and be effective with students leave at higher rates.

Insufficient resources Special Educators who don't feel that they have sufficient resources to do their job and meet the needs of the students they serve leave at high rates.

Inadequate administrative support. Individuals who perceive that the kind and/or level of supports from administrators are inadequate leave at a higher rate than do individuals who perceive adequate support. This is from both Special Educator administrators and regular education building administrators. We would stress the word "perceive" in that it is the perception of support that seems to be important.

Lack of opportunity to collaborate. Individuals who perceive that the kind and/or level of supports from colleagues are inadequate, or who experience poor relationships, leave at a higher rate than do individuals who perceive adequate support. This is from both Special Educator and regular education colleagues. Again, we would stress the word "perceive" in that it is the perception of support that is important.

Lack of opportunity for professional development. Individuals who do not feel they have access to professional development or opportunities to grow and advance leave at a higher rate than those who do.

Inadequate preparation. Individuals who are not fully certified or who do not receive supports during their first three years leave at a much high rate than do those that receive support such as mentoring.

Personal characteristics and/or situations. Finally, younger, less experienced Special Educators leave at a much higher rate than more experienced Special Educators. Also, many leave for family reasons, including following a partner who has taken a new job elsewhere, wanting to be closer to family, or, especially in rural areas, because of social isolation.

When reviewing this list, these issues cluster fairly well into three categories:

1. Job Design,
2. School Climate, and
3. Personal Characteristics/ Preparation.

What has been presented here is a national picture on attrition. You have likely read this all before. However, thinking about attrition from the perspective of school climate or job design is useful because of the amount of resources available in terms of research and programs to address these issues.

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