Addressing special education isolation in the context of teacher shortages and retention: A call for research

Abstract This position paper argues that addressing professional isolation is essential to strengthening teacher retention, promoting well‐being and ensuring equitable educational outcomes for students with disabilities. While teacher isolation is the focal point of this discussion, related factors are also discussed, as they contribute to and are exacerbated by isolation. Drawing upon our experiences as special education teacher educators and former practitioners, we conceptualize isolation as a systemic issue that demands more explicit scholarly and policy attention.