Special education teacher retention and attrition: The impact of increased legal requirements
Nance, Erica Calabrese, Raymond L., 1942-
Nance, Erica
Calabrese, Raymond L., 1942-
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Issue Date
2009-06-19
Type
Article
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Keywords
Education,Learning organizations,Organizational culture,Retention,Teachers
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Citation
Erica Nance, Raymond L. Calabrese; Special education teacher retention and attrition: the impact of increased legal requirements. International Journal of Educational Management 19 June 2009; 23 (5): 431–440. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540910970520
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the reasons current or former tenured special education teachers in a Local Education Agency remain or leave their special education teaching positions through the theoretical perspectives of organizational learning and organizational culture. The paper aims to describe the influence of increased legal requirements on current or former tenured special education teacher attrition or retention by reporting their reasons for staying or leaving. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative multiple case study of two units of analysis was conducted through a constructionist epistemology. Data were collected from 40 current and former tenured special education teachers through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, the Left Hand and Right-Hand Column Case Method, and review of appropriate documents. The data collected were analyzed using text analysis software, content analysis, and pattern matching. Findings: Four salient findings from the paper are: current tenured special education teachers want to be listened to and have their needs considered; current tenured special education teachers feel overwhelmed by the workload related to state assessments; current and former tenured special education teachers believe that legally-required changes affected them in practice; and current and former tenured special education teachers perceive that time requirements for administrative tasks reduce time for student services. Practical implications: Implications for praxis include organizational learning and organizational culture that encourage listening to the experience of tenured special education teachers and including them in decisions that affect them in an effort to retain them. Originality/value: The paper assesses the impact of increased legal requirements on special education teacher retention and attrition. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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This is an open access article under the CC by license
Publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Journal
International Journal of Educational Management
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ISSN
0951354X