A study of the relation between special education burnout and job satisfaction

Abstract

The ongoing shortage of special education teachers coupled with increasing attrition rate has caused for a further analysis into why teachers are choosing to leave the field. A quantitative (n = 363) study was completed on the factors that lead to attrition among special education teachers from 34 states in the United States. Canonical correlation analysis was used to determine if there was a statistical significance in job satisfaction (as measured by a set of teaching characteristics) related to teacher burnout (as measured by a set of burnout factors) among public school special education teachers. Results indicate that there was a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and burnout among special education teachers. Implications for pre‐service education programs, school districts and administrators are discussed as well as retention strategies such as mentoring and providing meaningful professional development opportunities.