Billingsley reviewed five studies that investigated how salaries impact the retention of educators. The analysis showed that salary is an important factor in keeping teachers in the field. In 1997 Boe, Bobbitt, Cook, Whitener, and Weber looked at data from a national sample of both general and special educators and found that leaving/moving decreased as salaries increased. Similar findings were reported by Miller, Brownell, and Smith (1999) and Singer (1992). Both of these studies showed that special educators with higher salaries were less likely to leave than those with lower salaries. In a 1995 study Billingsley Pyecha, Smith-Davis, Murray, and Hendricks found that 10% of urban special educators who had left the field cited salary as a primary factor. Compensation was reported to be a deciding factor for teachers when looking at the pros and cons of remaining in the field or accepting a particular position. Consequently, agencies that aren't able to offer a competitive salary may be at a significant disadvantage in recruitment and retention efforts (Henke, Choy, Chen, Geis, & Alt, 1997).

School Climate

Billingsley acknowledges that school climate is a very broad term that covers a wide range of concepts. Researchers define it in many ways but Billingsley suggests that they are asking essentially the same question. "Overall, is your school/district a good place to work?" The literature review revealed that educators with a positive view of their work environment were less likely to leave or express intent to leave than those with a less positive view.

Administrative Support

Numerous studies have looked at the role administrative support plays in teacher retention. The findings from this research clearly indicate that teachers who feel strongly supported and encouraged by administrators are less likely to leave or express intent to leave. Research shows that educators who report higher levels of principal support feel less stressed, and are more likely to be satisfied and committed to their jobs (Billingsley & Cross, 1992). In 1995 Schnorr found that a supportive principal was the top-rated incentive for teaching special education. Special educators perceive emotional support such as showing appreciation, taking an interest in teacher's work, and having open communication as the most important aspect of administrative support (Littrell, Billingsley, & Cross, 1994). Additionally, Littrell and colleagues found that emotional and instructional support (i.e., helping teachers with tasks, providing needed materials, space, and time to complete duties) associated positively with job satisfaction and school commitment.

Source:
Billingsley, B. S. (2004). Special education teacher retention and attrition: A critical analysis of the research literature. Journal of Special Education, 38(1), 39-55.