Attrition among educators is a continuing concern in the area of special education. Job satisfaction has been associated with teacher burnout and teacher attrition. Many times, multiple educators work in a close environment creating a need for community in special education. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in job satisfaction…

To explore the accessibility of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) for students with severe disabilities, we conducted a survey of 179 schools implementing SWPBIS during the 2015-2016 school year. Personnel from each school reported the frequency and level of importance of SWPBIS implementation across Likert-type…

In this multiple case study, we apply sense-making theory to examine and compare how middle school special and general educators perceive and respond to teacher evaluation reform, including formal classroom observations, informal walk-throughs, and student growth measures. Our findings reveal that special educators experience conflict between the…

Although participation in extracurricular activities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been advocated, a limited number of students appear to be involved in such activities. Further, there is little empirical research on how extracurricular activities are valued, supported, and encouraged. This study surveyed a…

Administrative support plays a vital role in the self-efficacy of special education teachers (Otto & Arnold, 2005). In order to meet the education needs of special education students and comply with Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, 2002), education leaders and…

This study examined the perceptions of secondary IEP team members (i.e., administrators, special education teachers, and general education teachers) from one Virginia school district regarding the diploma decision-making process for students with disabilities. Using a qualitative, multi-case approach incorporating three phases of analysis (i.e.,…

Atlantic High School, a small rural school in the state of Virginia, offered co-taught inclusion classes as an optional placement for student with disabilities for the first time in the 2008-2009 school year. While inclusion was thought to afford multiple benefits for students with learning disabilities, it also presented instructional challenges…

Analysis of a survey of 234 early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers in Virginia found that ECSE staff conducted gastrostomy feedings and/or catheterizations, that nurses provided care for tracheostomies and mechanical ventilation, and that 38% of school systems (mostly urban and suburban) had written policies concerning preschoolers with…