The Development and Field Test of Employment Interview Questions Designed to Predict Special Education Teachers' Retention

Abstract

The attrition of special education teachers greatly affects the quality of special education services districts can provide for students with disabilities and creates an ongoing challenge for educational leaders. The quality of education that students with disabilities receive may be negatively affected if districts are forced to hire inexperienced or uncertified teachers. This study involved field testing employment interview questions involving work related variables that could then be included within the special education version of the Interactive Computer Interview System (ICIS) structured interview to add a predictive measure of potential teacher retention. Participants in this study were former and current special education teachers selected from school districts located in Northeast Kansas. Using questions developed from the extant literature, current and former special education teachers were interviewed and also asked to rank seven factors related to teacher retention.