Workforce Sustainability of Special Education in the United States: The Role of Wellness and Retention

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Published
2026-04-13
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 4 (2026): European Journal of Innovation in Nonformal Education
License
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors

  • Rhonie I. Villahermosa

    Special Education Teacher Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, Minnesota, USA
Keywords:
Workforce Sustainability, Special Education, Wellness, Retention, United States
Abstract
There is a growing need to examine the interconnected roles of wellness and retention in sustaining the special education workforce. Understanding how factors such as burnout, job satisfaction, and organizational support influence teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave the profession is essential for informing policy and practice. This study sought to contribute to this body of knowledge by exploring the role of teacher wellness in shaping retention outcomes, with the ultimate goal of identifying strategies to enhance workforce sustainability in special education across the United States. This study employed descriptive correlational design to determine the role of teacher wellness in shaping retention outcomes. The respondents were 50 special education teachers among the school districts in the State of Minnesota in United States. A survey questionnaire was use to collect data from the respondents adapted from Laravie (2023). Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, Pearson r, t-test and ANOVA. Results revealed that special education teachers, predominantly young, female, and highly educated, face high stress, burnout, and work-life balance challenges despite finding purpose in their work. Career experience and education influence wellness and retention, while systemic organizational strategies—workload reduction, support, collaboration, and professional development—are essential for sustaining the workforce.
Author Biography
  1. Rhonie I. Villahermosa (Special Education Teacher Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, Minnesota, USA)
    There is a growing need to examine the interconnected roles of wellness and retention in sustaining the special education workforce. Understanding how factors such as burnout, job satisfaction, and organizational support influence teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave the profession is essential for informing policy and practice. This study sought to contribute to this body of knowledge by exploring the role of teacher wellness in shaping retention outcomes, with the ultimate goal of identifying strategies to enhance workforce sustainability in special education across the United States. This study employed descriptive correlational design to determine the role of teacher wellness in shaping retention outcomes. The respondents were 50 special education teachers among the school districts in the State of Minnesota in United States. A survey questionnaire was use to collect data from the respondents adapted from Laravie (2023). Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, Pearson r, t-test and ANOVA. Results revealed that special education teachers, predominantly young, female, and highly educated, face high stress, burnout, and work-life balance challenges despite finding purpose in their work. Career experience and education influence wellness and retention, while systemic organizational strategies—workload reduction, support, collaboration, and professional development—are essential for sustaining the workforce.
References

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