ORCID
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-3251-0502
College
College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden)
Department
Communication Disorders & Special Education
Graduate Level
Doctoral
Graduate Program/Concentration
Special Education (Education Ph.D.)
Publication Date
2022
DOI
10.25883/mgj4-nj27
Abstract
Per the U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.), a rural area is “any population, housing, or territory NOT in an urban area.” Specifically, a rural area is defined as the area of 5 to 25 miles from an urban area (Geverdt, 2015). Nationally, rural school districts represent nearly 20% of the student population in the United States, but limited attention is given to the unique needs of these areas by national policymakers (Johnson et al., 2018). Rural schools face multifaceted challenges that often impede educational opportunities and post-school outcomes of students, including those who receive special education services (Erickson et al., 2012; Test & Fowler, 2018). Recruiting and retaining qualified special education teachers is also a challenge in rural school districts (Bargerhuff et al., 2007; Berry et al., 2011; Horn, 2021; Mueller & Brewer, 2013). The shortage of highly qualified special education teachers in rural areas is reported to be as high as 35% (Brownell et al., 2005). Lack of financial or human resource capacity negatively contributes to students with disabilities' education (Johnson et al., 2018). Therefore, professional development opportunities are essential in supporting and preparing teachers in geographically isolated areas. Despite the challenges, there are also positive aspects of working in rural areas that may contribute to teachers’ decision in being employed in rural districts.
Keywords
Rural education, Special education teachers, Rural challenges, Rural advantages
Disciplines
Disability and Equity in Education | Other Teacher Education and Professional Development | Special Education and Teaching
Files
Download Poster (246 KB)
Recommended Citation
Karadimou, Olga, "The Benefits and Challenges of Rural Special Education Teachers: Improving Teacher Retention in Rural Districts" (2022). College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters. 5.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2022_education/5
Included in
Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons