Dr. Lautrice Nickson, PhD Dissertation Defense, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Dissertation Committee

AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS

INFLUENCING SPECIAL EDUCATION

TEACHERS’ RETENTION AND

ATTRITION IN TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A Dissertation Defense

by

LAUTRICE

MCCARTY NICKSONWilliam Allan Kritsonis, PhDDissertation Committee Member

Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study

Add to the body of research that will help identify reasons for the mass exodus of special education teachers after three years.

Identify important factors that influence special education teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave the field of special education.

Presentation FormatPresentation Format

I. Theoretical FrameworkII. Research Questions (Quantitative and

Qualitative)III. Quantitative MethodsIV. Quantitative Major FindingsV. Qualitative Emergent ThemesVI. Qualitative Major Findings VII. Integrate Quantitative and Qualitative findings

with literatureVIII. Recommendations

Theoretical Framework

School ClimateFactors

ParentalSupportFactors

Mentors and

Colleagues SupportFactors

Central Office

SupportFactors

Campus Administrative

SupportFactors

Teachers’Retention and

Attrition

Quantitative Research Quantitative Research QuestionsQuestions

Are Campus administrative support Central office support Mentors and colleagues support Parental support School climate

factors associated with special education

teachers’ retention and attrition in the field of

special education.

Null HypothesesNull Hypotheses

There is no statistically significant difference inteachers’ scores of Campus administrative support Central office support Mentors and colleagues support Parental support School climate factors between special education teachers whoremain in special education and those who leavethe field of special education.

Qualitative Research Qualitative Research QuestionsQuestions

What do special education teachers who stay or leave special education describe as the most important factors that influence their decisions to remain in or leave special education?

Qualitative Research Qualitative Research QuestionsQuestions

What specific things are done to enhance the involvement and commitment of special education teachers who stay in the field of special education?

Quantitative MethodsQuantitative Methods

Quantitative MethodQuantitative Method

Descriptive statistics

Comparison of means (Independent t-tests)


Independent Variable – Special education teachers who remain and those

who leave.

Dependent Variables – Campus administrative support factors Central office support factors Mentors and colleagues support factors Parental support factors School climate factors


Subjects of the Study All accessible current and former special

education teachers in Texas public schools with three years or fewer experience

Grades K through 5 Each school district had a total student enrollment

greater than 5,000 10 school districts in Southwest Texas


94 current special education teachers responded out of 200.

38 former special education teachers responded out of 100

Quantitative MethodQuantitative MethodInstrumentation

Six point Likert- type instrument Teachers’ Retention and Attrition Factors Survey

Instrument Measured Support from 1. Campus administrators 2. Central office administrators 3. Mentors and colleagues 4. Parents 5. School climate

Possible Range 10-60

Pilot StudyPilot Study

Campus administrative support factors .848 Central office support factors .908 Mentors and colleagues support factors .961 Parental support factors .819 School climate factors .809 Teachers’ Retention and Attrition Factors

Survey .959

Major Quantitative Major Quantitative FindingsFindings

Major FindingsMajor FindingsResearch Question 1 Research Question 1

Are campus administrative support factors associated with specialeducation teachers’ retention and attrition in the field of specialeducation?

Mean score for campus administrative support factorsCurrent Special Education Teachers= 43.12Former Special Education Teachers= 38.37

Mean difference of 4.75

p=.032p<.05*

effect size = .45

Major FindingsMajor Findings Research Question 2 Research Question 2

Are central office support factors associated with special educationteachers’ retention and attrition in the field of special education?

Mean score for central office support factorsCurrent Special Education Teachers= 37.55Former Special Education Teachers= 34.66

Mean difference of 2.89

p=.159p<.05*


Are mentors and colleagues support factors associated with specialeducation teachers’ retention and attrition in the field of specialeducation?

Mean score for mentors and colleagues support factorsCurrent Special Education Teachers= 41.50Former Special Education Teachers= 31.82

Mean difference= 9.68

p=.001p<.05*

effect size=.64


Are parental support factors associated with special educationteachers’ retention and attrition in the field of special education?

Mean Score for Parental Support FactorsCurrent Special Education Teachers= 38.15Former Special Education Teachers= 42.16


p=.048p<.05*

effect size=.37


Are school climate factors associated with special education teachers’retention and attrition in the field of special education?

Mean Score for School Climate FactorsCurrent Special Education Teachers= 46.39Former Special Education Teachers= 43.87


p=.167p<.05*

Results of Major Results of Major Quantitative FindingsQuantitative Findings

Research question 1 Campus Administrative Support: Findings were significant

Research question 2 Central Office Support: Findings were not significant

Research question 3 Mentors and Colleagues Support: Findings were significant

Research question 4 Parental Support: Findings were significant

Research question 5 School Climate Factors: Findings were inconclusive

Qualitative FindingsQualitative Findings

Qualitative SubjectsQualitative Subjects

Subjects 10 current special education teachers 10 former special education teachers

Qualitative Research Qualitative Research Question 6Question 6

What do special education teachers who stay or

leave special education describe as the most

important factors that influence their decision to

remain in or leave special education?

Emergent Themes: Emergent Themes: Important FactorsImportant Factors

Current Teachers Relationships with

colleagues Support of campus

administrators Vested interest in

students

Former Teachers The need for campus

administrative support The desire for

collaboration with colleagues

The lack of assistance from central office


What specific things are done to enhance the

involvement and commitment of special education

teachers who stay in the profession?


Campus administration support“My decision to remain in special education is based on the support of my principal.”

Mentor and colleague support“Without my colleagues I would have quit after my first year.”

Student interest“Each year I am able to see the growth that my students make and I like being a part of that.”

Integration of Integration of Quantitative Findings, Quantitative Findings, Qualitative Findings Qualitative Findings

and Review of and Review of LiteratureLiterature

Research Question 1 Research Question 1 Campus Administrative Campus Administrative

SupportSupport Review of Literature Review of LiteratureQuantitative and Qualitative Findings in this study were

consistent with the findings in the literature.

Marsal (2001) The absence of administrative support is considered a cause for leaving the profession.

Gersten (2001) Principal or administrative support plays a very important role in the retention of teachers. Understanding specific ways that principals can support teachers help reducethe frustrations teachers experience.

Research Question 2 Research Question 2 Central Office SupportCentral Office SupportReview of LiteratureReview of Literature

Quantitative findings were not consistent with the literature.

Qualitative findings were consistent with the literature.

Gersten, et al. (2001) found that central office administratorsexerted an indirect influence on attrition via professionaldevelopment opportunities and stress related role design.

Billingsley, et al.(1995) Conducted a study that found that 25%of those who left teaching were influenced to leave dueto their dissatisfaction with central administration support.

Research Question 3Research Question 3Mentors and Colleagues Mentors and Colleagues

SupportSupportReview of LiteratureReview of LiteratureQuantitative and Qualitative findings were consistent

with the literature.

Cohen (2005) New teachers are more likely to continue teaching in their schools of origin, when they receivesupport from mentors and colleagues.

Darling-Hammond (2003) Young teachers not only stay inthe profession at higher rates due to mentors and colleaguessupport but they also become competent more quickly thanthose who must learn by trial and error.

Research Question 4Research Question 4Parental SupportParental Support

Review of LiteratureReview of LiteratureQuantitative findings in this study were consistent with the literature.

Qualitative findings in this study were not consistent with the literature.

George, et al. (1992) 23% of teachers who intended to stay indicated receiving adequate support from parents, compared to a mere 3% of those who intended to leave.

Platt and Olson (1990) 53% of educators surveyed indicated that "lack of support" from parents was a reason forattrition.

Research Question 5Research Question 5School Climate FactorsSchool Climate Factors

Review of LiteratureReview of Literature Quantitative findings were inconclusive.

Qualitative findings were not consistent with the literature.

Cotton (2004) Positive, safe, secure learning environments and nurturing school climates are critical to reducing teacher attrition.

Billingsley (2004) Teachers who view school climate positively are more likely to stay or indicate intent to stay than those who have less positive views.

A Review of the A Review of the Quantitative and Quantitative and

Qualitative FindingsQualitative Findings

FindingsFindings

Quantitative Findings

Significant Factors Campus administrative support Mentors and Colleagues support Parental Support

Factor that was notSignificant Central office support

Inconclusive Factor School Climate

Qualitative Findings

Significant Factors Campus administrative support Mentors and colleagues

support Central office support

Factors that were not Significant Parental support School climate

RecommendationsRecommendations


Campus Administration Support

(1) Campus administrators should have an open door policy.

(2) Recognition should be given to teachers by campus administrators.

(3) Campus administrators should assist teachers in solving problems.

(4) Campus administrators should assist teachers in the decision making process.

(5) Campus administrators should provide teacher assistants who can help with certain task.


Central Office Administrators Support

(1) Central office administrators should provide guidance in teachers’ professional growth.

(2) Central office administrators should reduce the large amounts of paperwork that special education teachers are required by the district to complete.

(3) Central office administrators should implement effective mentor programs for new teachers.


Mentors and Colleagues Support

(1) Mentors and colleagues should provide assistance with classroom management.

(2) Mentors and colleagues should allow teachers to express their feelings and ideas.

(3) Mentors and colleagues should assist teachers in solving problems.

(4) Mentors and colleagues should provide teachers with ideas for lesson plans.


Parental Support

(1) Parents should support teachers.

(2) Parents should respect teachers.

(3) Parents should treat teachers as professionals.

(4) Parents should have realistic expectations of teachers.

(5) Parents should feel responsible for the way their children perform in school.

Recommendations for Recommendations for Further StudiesFurther Studies

To make this study more representative of special education teachers who have remained in or left the field of special education, future studies should include special education teachers who teach students in 6th-12th grade.

Given that school climate factors were inconclusive in this study, but have proven to be significant in other studies,

school climate factors should be explored further.

Interviewing campus administrators, central office administrators and parents may provide a deeper understanding of how they contribute to the retention and attrition of special education teachers.

Recommendations for Recommendations for Further StudiesFurther Studies

Explore “other” factors that teachers listed as

reasons for their decisions to either remain in or

leave the field of special education.

Student interest

Personal factors

Job satisfaction

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical Framework

School ClimateFactors

ParentalSupportFactors

Mentors and

Colleagues SupportFactors

Central Office

SupportFactors

Campus Administrative

SupportFactors

Teachers’Retention and

Attrition