Special Education Attrition in the State of Utah: Rural vs. Urban School Districts

Abstract

Critical shortages of special educators in the U.S. are not new. Approximately 1.1% of all U.S. special education positions have remained unfilled for the last five years (Boe, 2006). The authors were commissioned by the Utah State Office of Education to collect data on special education personnel, including special education teachers, school psychologists and speech language pathologists. This study compared all Utah rural and urban special education personnel who left their districts during the combined school years of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Results reveal that rural special education personnel left their positions at a significantly lower rate than is to be expected. Similarities and differences among special education leavers in rural and urban districts as well as their reasons for leaving are discussed.

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