Exploring the Support Systems of Special Education Teachers

Special Education (SpEd) teachers are responsible for addressing the educational needs of learners with disabilities. This includes developing skills in areas like communication, social interaction, physical abilities, and life adaptation, while ensuring the learners ‘overall well-being through professional and attentive care. Due to high turnover rate, the study explored the support systems of the SpEd teachers in relation to their retention and job satisfaction. The support systems include administrative, colleagues, and parents/stakeholders’ support. The study employed a mixed-method research design to collect the data. The researcher utilized a teacher-made test that was proven to have content validity. The researcher used purposive sampling to select 30 SpEd teachers, consisting three males and 27 females, who had been working with learners with disabilities for more than two (2) years during the school year 2023-2024 in the Division of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. The study revealed that administrators’ support, colleagues’ support, and stakeholders’ support had a moderate correlation with retention and job satisfaction. Despite facing limited support, many special education teachers remain in their roles and experience job satisfaction due to a strong dedication to their learners, intrinsic rewards, and the positive connections they build with their learners. The three support systems yielded satisfactory results, but the weakest support systems came from stakeholders, suggesting that special education learners face limited opportunities to earn a living due to various limitations. Continuous vocational training and inclusive policies can help these learners enter the workforce, supporting both teacher retention and job satisfaction while encouraging future policies for a more inclusive community.