Education Commons^™

Indicators And Precipitators Of Special Educator Satisfaction: The Role Of Certification And Advanced Coursework, Jessica Spencer

Dissertations

Special education teachers are leaving the education field at a higher rate than other education professionals. The annual attrition rate for special education teachers is estimated to be between 8-10% of special educators across the United States. These attrition rates are concerning, as they contribute to the shortage of quality special educators. Considering that an estimated 50% of special educators leave their positions within their first five years, researchers have conducted studies examining criteria centered on teacher retention and attrition. This study examined the findings of such studies, and explored the role of how teachers' certifications and obtaining advanced degrees …

A Look At Grit: Teachers Who Teach Students With Severe Disabilities, Donna Baker Martin

Dissertations

This study investigated special education teachers and the grit needed to stay in the field especially for those who teach students with moderate to severe disabilities. The purpose was to explore and describe the impact of Grit on retention as perceived by special education teachers who teach students with severe disabilities. This explanatory, sequential mixed methods study included the Grit-S survey as a locator for special education teachers in five California counties and the target population included special education teachers who taught in California.

Teachers self-reported they were hard workers, diligent and finish what they start and they gave examples. …

Psychosocial Development Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Higher Education, Kathleen M. Vanderveen

Dissertations

Students, in general, are not graduating from college in percentages above 60% after five years (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2012). According to the National Council on Disability (NCOD, 2007), more students with disabilities are enrolling in higher education every year; but their graduation rates are declining (Getzel, 2008; NCOD, 2007; Orr & Goodman, 2010; Troiano, Liefeld, & Trachtenberg, 2010). Exploring ways to improve the retention and success of students with disabilities in college, leads to the review of psychosocial student development theory, which has guided student support for many years, but has not been widely applied to students with disabilities. …