Special Education Teachers of Color Retention Decisions: Findings From a National Study

Abstract

Special education teachers of color are underrepresented in research about attrition and retention, despite evidence of their role in the academic, social, and emotional success of students of color. We used critical quantitative methods and structural equation modeling to investigate the attrition and retention variability between special education teachers (SETs) of color and White SETs. We sampled 778 SETs and found SETs of color reported higher rates of intent to remain in the profession than White SETs. SETs of color in urban schools also rated supports higher than White SETs, based on school geographical location, suggesting higher retention of SETs of color in urban schools. We offer implications for ensuring SETs of color are reflected in research, and policy and practice recommendations to move the discussion of race and teacher shortage forward in the field.

Special Education Teachers of Color Burnout, Working Conditions, and Recommendations for EBD Research

“…Extensive other scholarship also demonstrates variability in teachers’ working conditions, based on both their own and their students’ sociocultural identities (Bettini, Brunsting, et al, 2022; Bettini et al, 2021; Bettini, Nguyen, et al, 2022; Fall & Billingsley, 2011; Johnson et al, 2012; Scott et al, 2021, 2022; Simon & Johnson, 2015). Working conditions are the demands placed on teachers (e.g., instructional responsibilities, caseload sizes) and the resources teachers are given to meet demands (e.g., time, materials, relationships; Billingsley et al, 2020).…”

“…In a recent study, Scott and colleagues (2022) used critical quantitative methods and structural equation modeling to investigate working conditions and intent to stay or leave the profession among 778 special educators. Special educators of color with more supportive working conditions reported higher intent to remain in the profession (Scott et al, 2022). In Mason-Williams et al’s (2022) study, ratings of administrator support partially mediated (or explained) the relationship between teacher race/ethnicity and intent to stay, such that teachers of color were more likely to intend to stay when they felt their administrator was supportive.…”

Introduction to the New Editors of Exceptional Children: The Editorial Vision of the New Team

“…Current and previous editors, as well as scholars who have published in EC, have been instrumental in such comprehensive approaches, situating the journal as a resource for advancing equity related to students with disabilities. EC has featured articles that (a) promote students' civil rights and integration in relation to disability (Ballard & Zettel, 1977;Martin, 1976) and other identity intersections, such as race (Pearman & McGee, 2022); (b) inform supports for students' mental and social health and well-being, especially for children with disabilities and, for example, who identify as LGBTQ+ (King et al, 2018); (c) seek to improve school culture and climate through prevention of and response to instances of bullying and harassment of students with disabilities (Pivak et al, 2002;Salisbury et al, 1995); (d) inform recruitment, retention, and distribution of effective and diverse special educators (Englert, 1983;Scott et al, 2022), including addressing teacher shortages (Theobald et al, 2021); (e) build education leaders' capacity to develop, implement, and scale up evidence-based systemic innovations (Klingner et al, 2013); (f) facilitate agency, family, and community partnerships and networks for children with disabilities (Blue-Banning et al, 2004;Fowler et al, 2000), including those that create safe and welcoming environments for students with disabilities who are refugees and/or English learners (Rueda et al, 2005); (g) detail effective approaches to dropout prevention for students with disabilities (Vaughn et al, 2015); (h) support data-based decision-making on research-based, culturally responsive, and universally designed policies and practices (Cartledge & Kourea, 2008;Edyburn, 2013); (i) inform appropriate placement and integration of students with disabilities at race, national origin, and language intersections (De Valenzuela et al, 2006); and (j) address disproportionate discipline and exclusionary policies, practices, representation, and programmatic segregation of students with and at risk of being labeled with disabilities (Skiba et al, 2006). We very much appreciate the work of past EC authors, editors, editorial boards, and field reviewers in realizing this scholarship.…”