This investigation used a qualitative case study to examine the sources of teacher stress and the ways teachers try to alleviate stress. Three research questions guided this study: (1) What are recent sources of stress for special education teachers in various school settings and grade levels? (2) How does stress impact special education teachers? and (3) What protective factors do special educators use to alleviate and address stress? Interview data were collected over a period of 3 years using a standardized interview protocol. The study consisted of 16 Caucasian special education teachers (13 females; three males) from a variety of urban and suburban settings in a large, Midwestern metropolitan region. Seven teachers taught at the elementary level, seven in middle school settings, and two in high schools. The most prominent themes from the results of this study indicate that lack of administrative support, individual student challenges, teacher perceptions, and state mandates are sources of stress.