Date

8-2-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

Strengthening the Special Education Workforce: Retention in Rural Schools. Hillary Griffin, 2026: Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: rural schools, special education, strategic planning, teacher support, teacher retention, workforce stability

This strategic research project was designed to address the limited retention of qualified special education teachers in rural schools. The purpose of the project was to examine organizational factors that affect special education teacher retention and to develop a strategic solution that could strengthen workforce stability, reduce teacher stress, and improve service delivery for students with disabilities. The final problem identified through the strategic analysis was low retention of special education teachers in rural settings, which contributes to staffing instability, increased workload, burnout, and possible disruption in individualized education program implementation.

The selected solution was the Targeted Special Education Retention Support Model. This model was chosen because it directly addresses the major conditions affecting retention, including workload demands, leadership support, mentoring, teacher well-being, and staffing risks in hard-to-staff special education positions. The final selected strategy was the retention support model, supported by structured mentoring, coaching, and professional learning. The action plan included establishing a Special Education Retention Leadership Team, conducting a Workforce Needs and Retention Risk Assessment, developing targeted retention supports, implementing structured support cycles, and evaluating retention outcomes.

Possible recommendations would include maintaining a retention leadership team, implementing mentoring beyond the first year, conducting regular caseload and workload reviews, protecting planning time, using paraprofessional support, and applying retention data to guide decisions. If implemented, the project could improve teacher satisfaction, reduce burnout, strengthen individualized education plan service consistency, and support long-term special education program sustainability.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and the School of Criminal Justice

Concentration

Curriculum and Teaching

Language

English

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