This study sought to obtain a current picture of special education teacher recruitment and retention in rural districts and to understand the professional development needs of rural special educators. Surveys, administered through telephone interviews with a national sample of special education administrators and teachers, confirmed the difficulties in hiring appropriately qualified teachers. Additional demands of the position may place teachers at risk for attrition. The authors identified important areas of professional development to support rural teachers in their positions: (a) working with paraprofessionals and parents, (b) low-incidence disabilities, (c) emotional and behavior disorders, (d) classroom management, (e) skills in collaboration and inclusive practices, and (f) curriculum content.
BillingsleyB.. (2004). Special education teacher retention and attrition: A critical analysis of the research literature.Journal of Special Education, 38, 39–55.
2.
BillingsleyB., CarlsonE., & KleinS.. (2002). Working conditions and induction support of early career special educators.Exceptional Children, 70, 333–347.
3.
BrownellM., BishopA., & SindelarP.. (2005). NCLB and the demand for highly qualified teachers: Challenges and solutions for rural schools.Special Education Quarterly, 24, 9–14.
DowningJ., & Peckham-HardinK.. (2007). Supporting inclusive education for students with severe disabilities in rural areas.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 26, 10–15.
6.
GehrkeR., & McCoyK., (2007[)] Sustaining and retaining beginning special educators: It takes a village.Teaching and Teacher Education,23, 490–500.
7.
GerstenR., KeatingT., YovanoffP., & HarnissM.. (2001). Working in special education: Factors that enhance special educators’ intent to stay.Exceptional Children, 67, 549–567.
8.
JohnsonJ., & StrangeM.. (2007). Why rural matters 2007: The realities of rural education growth.Arlington, VA: Rural School and Community Trust.
9.
LudlowB., ConnerD., & SchechterJ.. (2005). Low incidence disabilities and personnel preparation for rural areas: Current status and future trends.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24, 15–22.
10.
McLeskeyJ., TylerN., & FlippinS.. (2004). The supply of and demand for special education teachers: A review of research regarding the chronic shortage of special education teachers.The Journal of Special Education, 38, 5–21.
11.
MillerD., BrownellM., & SmithS.. (1999). Factors that predict teachers staying in, leaving, or transferring from the special education classroom.Exceptional Children, 65, 201–218.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2006b). National Center for Education Statistics common core of data public elementary and secondary school district universe (Version 1a). Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/index.asp
14.
ProvasnikS., KewalRamaniA., ColemanM., GilbertsonL., HerringW., & XieQ.. (2007). Status of education in rural America (NCES 2007-040). Washington, DC: National Center for Educational Statistics, Institute for Education Sciences, U. S. Department of Education.
15.
PurcellL., EastB., & RudeH.. (2005). Administrative perspectives on the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) for students with disabilities in rural settings.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24, 27–31.
StempienL., & LoebR.. (2002). Differences in job satisfaction between general education and special education teachers: Implications for retention.Remedial and Special Education, 23, 258–267.
18.
WestlingD., & WhittenT.. (1996). Rural special education teachers’ plans to continue or leave their teaching position.Exceptional Children, 62, 319–335.
19.
WhitakerS.. (2000). Mentoring beginning special education teachers and the relationship to attrition.Exceptional Children, 66, 546–566.
