Journal of K-12 Educational Research 33 No “I” in Team In their responses, participants were truly clear about the key role their friendships with co-workers played in their decision to return to their current positions. They felt strongly enough about their peers that, even with sub-par support at the campus level, they were willing to stay. Special Education Teachers Need a Voice Special education teachers want to feel valued and to positively contribute to the campus community through working more collaboratively with their general education peers and having the ability to use their specialized skill sets to help more students. Participants also shared a need for more transparency at the interview for what the position entails and clear procedures for who to contact for help with special education issues. The key informant for the current study was a district administrator who was knowledgeable about the support provided to new teachers in the district. The District has three phases of support set up, which are provided at the district, campus, and instructional coaching level. District onboarding includes district philosophies, policies, procedures, and culture. Participants in the current study noted the amount of information provided by the district staff included little to no time for special education specific programming and expectations. Campus support includes administrator-based training, which aligns to the campus improvement plan. Instructional coaching takes place on campuses as well. Zero-year teachers received year-round coaching, and experienced teachers received 9 weeks with an option to continue or join a learning cohort. New teachers were also assigned a campus-based mentor. Although participants clearly stated a desire and need for these supports, when the key informant was asked if these multiple levels of support were extended to all teachers, it was stated that these supports only include general education teachers. Implications Research on attrition in education is expansive and covers more than three decades of research (The IRIS Center, 2013; Jones et al., 2013). Data from this research is widely available, but it covers the profession as a whole and does not provide detailed information regarding areas requiring specialized certifications, such as special education. The attrition rate of special education teachers is almost double the rate of general education teachers, and special education teachers are 2.5 times more likely to leave the profession after the first year (Jones et al., 2013). Research specific to this certification field could be compared to that of general education teachers to determine what the most impactful supports are or what different supports should be in place for teachers new to special education. Research shows special education teachers are more likely to be effective and committed to their position when they work in a school with a positive climate and working conditions. Long term decisions by special education teachers to remain in the field are primarily affected by the experience in their schools (Billingsley, 2004; Brownell & Sindelar, 2016; Jones et al., 2013). Education reform is focused on the inclusion of all students in the general education setting, which requires a collaborative and inclusive culture led by campus leadership (Robinson & Buly, 2007). Access to collaboration with general and special education teachers is crucial to the success of new special education teachers. Older service delivery models are antiquated with increased accountability for the inclusion of all students in general education (Robinson & Buly, 2007). Time management, content knowledge, and communication are all research-based themes for success for both special and general education teachers. Barton-Arwood and Da Fonte (2017) noted that having a designated time to collaborate builds capacity in both educators for instructional and student success. This time is often lost with the additional duties assigned to special education teachers. Paperwork, ARD responsibilities, interventions, and monitoring are expected to take precedence over teachers’ collaboration (Berry et al., 2009; Leonard & Leonard, 2003). Teachers who are better prepared have better instructional gains and fewer behavior problems in their classrooms. Bettini et al. (2017) found that special education teachers are most often left to make decisions on their own due to students’ unique needs. Teachers without a mentor
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