Looking Through the Lens of Rural Special Education Teachers: A National Survey

Hiring and retaining qualified special education teachers (SETs) in rural areas is an ongoing challenge. We disseminated an electronic national survey to learn about the preservice preparation of current and former rural SETs and their preferences for receiving in-service professional development (PD) and support. A total of 314 current or former rural SETs across 26 U.S. states completed the survey. Results show statistically significant differences in perceived preparation between SETs who completed a preservice educator preparation program (EPP) with clinical experiences, compared with those who held a provisional/emergency license when initially hired. Nonetheless, both groups highlight a desire to receive ongoing, in-service PD and administrative support. Recommendations for supporting SETs in rural school districts are offered.