Section four of the survey, specifically asked respondents to rate the factors that influenced their decision to accept a job offer. These factors related to financial issues, personal issues, working conditions, and support. The results are broken down by level of experience and whether the respondent was from Oregon or out of state. The results are broken down further by urban-suburban positions, small city positions and rural/isolated positions.
Previous Strategy Briefings have focused on findings related to administrative support, financial considerations, interactions with potential colleagues, perception of staff rapport, and agreement with program philosophy. The January issue will report on other factors that while not necessarily deemed very or critically important by a large percentage of respondents from an overall perspective, there were significant differences that emerged both by level of experience and agency size/geographical location. Being aware of these differences may prove useful to agencies in recruiting and hiring special education staff.
Overall, roughly half of the respondents indicated that caseload was very or critically important in their decision to accept a job offer. This jumped to over 60% for experienced Oregon special educators. Caseload considerations were much more important to respondents employed in rural/isolated settings than other settings.
Approximately half of the respondents indicated that access to technology was very or critically important in their decision to accept a job offer. Respondents who came from out-of-state rated access to technology as much more important than respondents from Oregon. Technology considerations were much more important to respondents employed in rural/isolated settings than other settings.
Developing programs and resources to address the items listed above will likely enhance success in recruiting and hiring quality special educators. If your agency already has such programs and resources in place - promote them.