A sequential explanatory mixed methods study was conducted to determine special education teachers' (SETs) pandemic experiences in the U.S. state of Georgia. We distributed a survey, held focus groups, and analyzed both data for complementarity. We found that SETs experienced challenges, benefits, and concerns when they returned to their…

Enrollment in traditional special education teacher preparation programs has declined while enrollment in alternative preparation programs has increased in Georgia (Georgia Insights, 2024). Since alternative preparation programs have become the viable recruitment vein for rural schools challenged to fill special education teaching vacancies,…

Special education teachers are few in Georgia public schools, and the numbers are decreasing each year. Policy makers and administrators are busy making policies to assist special education teachers. Therefore, this research included the special education teachers' voice in advising policymakers and administrators about the challenges they…

This research sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of special education inclusion teachers (SEITs) from an urban county in Central Georgia. The qualitative narrative analysis proposed here aims to give school districts insight into why SEITs leave the field. This study followed a basic qualitative design. Participants were pulled…

For years, policymakers, districts, and scholars have pushed for the inclusion of more Black male teachers in US public schools; however, their even smaller subset--Black male special education teachers--has been ignored, particularly by scholars. The results of this study provide insight into the recruitment and retention of Black male special…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the challenges that lead to special education teacher burnout and how these challenges influence the motivation of special education teachers in North Georgia. In this study, factors that lead to special education burnout were generally defined as potential challenges, such as quality…

Students with disabilities face challenges with low parental engagement and low student achievement in a rural Georgia school district. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine educators' perceptions of parental engagement and student achievement for students with special needs. The problem addressed the low parental engagement…

The number of students with disabilities entering youth development centers is increasing exponentially. The youth development center schools that are responsible for providing academic services to these students are inadequately staffed with special education teachers to meet the behavioral and academic needs of juvenile offenders with…

Georgia's College and Career Ready Performance Index for 2014-2016 showed that students with disabilities (SwD) did not meet performance targets when taught in co-taught inclusion classrooms with both general education teachers (GET) and special education teachers (SET) in the classrooms. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences…

It is imperative to understand how teachers are prepared for their role as co-teacher. The purpose of this study was to investigate how general education and special education teachers in one elementary school in Georgia are trained in the instructional practice of co-teaching and their perceptions on how prepared they feel to implement the…

Transitioning from high school to the real world is a difficult issue for students with disabilities. Special education students may get lost not knowing what their future holds. Special education teachers are most times challenged in the process of linking transition plans to academic Individual education plan(IEP) goals. The problem addressed by…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the perceptions of special education teachers who apply Applied Behavioral Analysis interventions with high functioning students who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Participants in this research study were located in one central Georgia middle school that contains an autism…

The problem addressed by this study is that in general, teachers perceive students with autism and emotional behavior disorders to be more challenging to teach in a classroom as a result of their inappropriate behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the perceptions of general and special education teachers on…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which special education teachers experience anxiety administering the different versions of the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and Criterion Referenced Competency Test-Modified (CRCT-M). This human service profession (education) was selected because there is very little literature…

Students with disabilities are a specific group of the student population that are guaranteed rights that allow them to receive a free and unbiased education in an environment with their non-disabled peers. The importance of this study relates to providing students with disabilities with the opportunity to receive instruction from the most…