Examining the Impact of Special Education Teacher Attrition on Student Performance: A Causal-Comparative Study

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there was a difference between the achievement of Georgia special education students on the Ninth Grade Literature and American Literature Georgia Milestones Test in school districts with high and low special education teacher (SET) attrition rates. This study provided quantifiable data that measured the impact of teacher burnout on student achievement. This research further supported the literature in this field by documenting the consequences of increasing teacher turnover rates. Participants in this study included Georgia Milestones student achievement data from approximately 180 Georgia school districts from 2019–2022. The state’s SET attrition data accounts for approximately 114,800 teachers. By providing quantifiable data reflecting the impact of teacher burnout on student achievement, the literature documenting the consequences of growing teacher attrition rates was supported. Two independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine if there was a difference between student achievement scores and school districts with high or low teacher attrition rates. The researcher determined that there was no significant difference between Georgia Literature Milestones student achievement scores and SET rates between school districts with high and low attrition rates. Results from this study may also assist leaders by providing a different perspective and strategic approach when seeking to improve Georgia Milestones student achievement data.