Teacher Retention: Reducing the Attrition of Special Educators

Assessment

Take some time now to answer the following questions. Please note that the IRIS Center does not collect your Assessment responses. If this is a course assignment, you should turn them in to your professor using whatever method he or she requires. If you have trouble answering any of the questions, go back and review the Perspectives & Resources pages in this module.

1. Why is the high rate of special education teacher turnover problematic?
2. List four reasons special education teachers leave their positions.
3. One of the key ideas presented in A Leader’s Model for Keeping Effective Special Educators is for school leaders to cultivate effective special educators. Explain how the three actions associated with this idea affect teacher retention.
4. Imagine you are an elementary school principal who has hired a highly qualified special educator. She is a transfer from another school district, and you would like her to have a long career at your school. She is certified in special education but not in any of the core content areas. Using the model presented in this module, identify the actions you would take to retain this teacher and describe how you would implement these actions.