Education Commons^™

The issue of attrition and retention has been a chronic problem in the field of education for decades. School districts across the United States are experiencing shortages of qualified special education teachers largely due to high turnover rates, with many of these teachers electing not to return after their first year of teaching. In fact, roughly nine percent of special educators not return to the profession after their first year, citing themes such as lack of administrative support, excessive paperwork and burnout as primary factors that prompted their decision to leave. The purpose of this study was to identify problems …

This presentation was delivered at the annual North Carolina Council for Exceptional Children conference in Wilmington, NC. The focus of the presentation was issues and strategies related to co-teaching in the inclusive classroom. The target audience was special education and regular education teachers interested in developing or refining their co-teaching practices.