Factors That Predict Teachers Staying in, Leaving, or Transferring from the Special Education Classroom

Abstract

We randomly surveyed 1,576 Florida special education teachers to examine factors that contribute to their propensity to leave or stay in the special education classroom or transfer to a new school. The variables identified, based on extensive review of the literature, included background, classroom, school district, and personal factors. We tracked our respondents for 2 years using a multinomial logit model to identify significant predictors of leaving, staying, or transferring. Results indicate that teachers left special education teaching primarily due to insufficient certification, perceptions of high stress, and perceptions of poor school climate. Special educators who transferred to a different school or district had perceptions of high stress and perceptions of poor school climate and were significantly younger than stayers.