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This article presents a profile of early career special educators' (n= 1,153) working conditions, induction support, and career plans using data from the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE). The majority of respondents are Caucasion and female, and 80% are certified for their main assignments. Most respondents reported receiving informal support from other teachers and viewed this informal support as more valuable than other forms of support. Approximately 60% of respondents participated in formal mentoring, although one third did not find this support helpful. Those who reported higher levels of induction support reported greater job manageability and success in getting through to difficult students. School climate was related to teachers' intent to remain in special education., Careful attention to the working conditions and the induction of early career special educators is needed if we are to build a committed and qualified teaching force. Recent reports have [...]

This study used path analysis to examine the effects of work-related factors--including principal support, stress, role problems, job satisfaction, and commitment--on 542 Virginia special educators' expressions of intent to stay in teaching. Demographic variables--including teachers of students with emotional disabilities and race and gender of teachers--were treated as exogenous variables. Job satisfaction had a positive direct effect on intention to stay in teaching. Factors w small effects included professional commitment and perceived employability outside teaching. Principal support, stress, and role problems had direct effects on job satisfaction and commitment. Work-related variables should be included in strategies for retaining special educators., * The need to understand what influences special education teachers' commitment and retention is important in this era of teacher shortages. According to the Fifteenth Annual Report to Congress (U.S. [...]