Soft skills are the much sought after skills employers are seeking from their employees. In the workforce there is a significant gap in employment rate between individuals with learning disabilities and their same-aged peers. The problem this study sought to address was that high school students with learning disabilities are graduating from high…

This study uses nationally representative data for the United States from the Basic Monthly Current Population Survey to document how teachers' hours of work have changed in 2020 and 2021 relative to typical labor supply levels and to the hours worked by other college-educated professional workers. Controlling for demographics, teachers' hours…

Section 300.5 of IDEA (2004) defines Students with Disabilities as those children who, because of their impairments, need special education and related services. Through the process of "declassification," students previously identified as having a disability requiring special education services return to full-time general education…

With an increased focus on teacher retention in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic there is a need to understand teachers' perceptions about their work. Many special educators cite job design factors related to case management and lack of administrator support as reasons for leaving education. Nevertheless, case management is not widely studied.…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the self-efficacy of secondary special education teachers and their perceived ability to plan and deliver transition services to students with disabilities. It determined if the participant's years of experience, education background, instructional…

Parent engagement in the transition planning process for students with IEPs is an essential indicator for positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities graduating from high school. Barriers to parent participation include lack of communication, trust, and knowledge of the process in which they are participating. Educators must seek…

The purpose of this survey was to explore the uniformity of current life skill programs by identifying how individuals are provided instruction in the daily living skills needed to complete routine life functions, through categorizing common curriculum themes and standard program formats. Methods: Special education professionals (N=100) working…

This qualitative descriptive study aimed to understand how veteran special education teachers describe the personal, social, and professional experiences that influenced their motivation and commitment to continue teaching in special education for ten or more years in public schools within the United States. The study draws upon Herzberg's et al.…

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of barriers to planning and organizing work-based learning experiences (WBLEs) for students with intellectual disability. Participants were high school special education teachers who had at least one student with an intellectual disability age 14 or older on their caseload (N = 256). Teachers were…

Coaching is an essential component of supporting teachers to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) in classrooms. The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), an EBP designed to promote student self-determination, uses a research-based coaching model with six guiding principles. This qualitative study analyzed the content of…

The purpose of this case study is to examine the impact that social emotional learning (SEL) has on students within a partnered learning classroom environment. Most research on social emotional learning focuses on elementary aged students, and lacks data from high school aged adolescents. Research interests include topics such as body language…

Teacher evaluation has been closely tied to professional development. In special education, professional development experiences are meant to promote special educator learning and implementation of high leverage practices. Yet, the connection between teacher evaluation outcomes and professional development decisions of special educators is largely…

This study explored the self-efficacy of secondary general and special education teachers when teaching students with a specific learning disability in reading (SLDR) and using content area texts and resources. It investigated whether differences existed among high school general and special education teachers, between teachers of various content…

This project study focused on the writing and implementation of the transition plan that gives students with disabilities the proper guidelines and tools to help them in life after high school. Guided by the human capital theory in education, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how high school special education teachers…

Co-teaching is a social justice pedagogy that can increase educational access to groups of students who have historically been underserved and segregated in their schools. However, a school leader's failure to ensure inclusive cultures and critical support is its greatest obstacle. This retrospective, written by a former administrator and a…