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 documented increasing special education teacher shortages and high attrition rates (McLeskey, Tyler, & Saunders, 2002), as well as a high proportion of uncertified beginning special educators entering teaching (Billingsley, 2002a). Although many certified beginning teachers leave, a higher percentage of these uncertified teachers leave (Miller, Brownell, & Smith, 1999; Singer, 1992). This suggests the need to focus attention on retention, particularly during the early years. As Ingersoll (2001) suggests, the teacher shortage will not be solved by recruiting thousands of new people into teaching if they leave after a few short years. Various reasons have been posited about the high rates of attrition among beginning teachers, including personal reasons (e.g., childrearing), other opportunities, and dissatisfaction with teaching. Grissmer and Kirby (1987) suggest that younger teachers have fewer debts and are less invested in their work and the community, which makes it easier to depart. Others suggest that many beginners leave because of the frustrations and initial difficulties that they experience (Grissmer & Kirby; Singer). In a review of literature on attrition, mentoring, and induction, Gold (1996) reports that many teachers do not receive the intrinsic rewards of teaching that they expected early in their careers. This dissatisfaction leads to disillusionment, burnout, and finally, attrition.
