Research has shown that schools across the Nation are continuing to face the challenge of a special education teacher shortage. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore how the systemic factors of Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Ecological Systems Theory explain selected special educator's decisions to stay in the profession in a Midwestern state school district. Research questions were developed through the special education lens of Miller et. al., (1999) who incorporated historical factors along with Bronfenbrenner's microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem. Teachers will explain the presence or absence of systemic supports that support them in their profession through this lens. This study can potentially add to the current body of research on special education and attrition by exploring why special educators stay in the profession. This qualitative case study collected data using interviews and classroom observations of nine special education teachers across the school district. The findings from this study indicate that the microsystem and mesosystem factors influenced the teachers' decisions to stay in the special education teaching profession. As related to the microsystem factors of teacher workload, paperwork, caseload, meetings, student needs and student behaviors; teacher workload was the most significant obstacle among the nine participants. The findings from this study also have implications for research, theory, and practice for state, district and campus leaders that will be discussed in this case study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]