Exploring the Departure Narratives of Special Education Inclusion Teachers in Central Georgia

As more K-12 educators leave their teaching careers, it is unclear why they decide to depart from teaching. Retention is an ongoing problem, particularly with special education inclusion teachers (SEITs). A qualitative narrative analysis was conducted with four SEITs to determine why they departed from their profession. Each participant was interviewed three times to gather relevant data. Results showed five major themes concerning SEIT departure: job choice, preparation, workload, job effectiveness, and job support. The findings indicate the need for more professional development, more experiential practice, less redundant workload, more instructional support, and more mentorships for those in the field.