Congratulations to Jared Douglas High, who on Monday, June 1, 2026, successfully defended his dissertation.
The title of Jared’s dissertation is, "TRAINING IN BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AS ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER (SET) ATTRITION: A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS."
Overview of the Problem: Special education teacher (SET) attrition represents a critical global crisis, with attrition rates reaching twice that of general educators. Synthesized literature spans several decades, consistently identifying a severe effort-reward imbalance. Chronic classroom demands, specifically managing student challenging behavior, takes precious time, depletes resources, diminishes self-efficacy, and accelerates professional burnout; which is a main catalyst for departure from the field of special education.
Research Purpose: Grounded in Moore et al.’s (2017) teacher preparation theory, Maslach’s Burnout Theory (1997), and Billingsley’s (1993) career decision framework, this quantitative study investigated the relationship between reported Training in Behavior Management and desired SET attrition. It further evaluated how this core relationship varies when considering two additional employment factors: Years of Experience and satisfaction with Income.
Research Design: Quantitative, multi-variate, survey-based study
Data Collection and Analysis: Secondary data analysis was conducted utilizing the internationally representative Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 (TALIS 2024) dataset. To isolate professionals operating in high-concentration settings, a sample threshold was established requiring a 61% supermajority of students with special education needs (N = 3,440). Three distinct binary logistic regression models were constructed to analyze the data.
Findings/Results: A statistically significant, inverse relationship between robust behavior training and attrition likelihood was found; prepared teachers have lower odds of desired attrition. Increased Years of Experience predicted a higher baseline desire to leave. Income satisfaction independently and significantly minimized attrition odds. There was no significant interaction effects observed between any of the independent variables.
Conclusions/Implications: Systematically expanding evidence-based behavior modification curricula within collegiate teacher certification programs and professional development training is a vital intervention necessary to alleviate burnout, maximize retention, and ensure instructional continuity for vulnerable student populations.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR(S):
Dr. Nora C.R. Broege
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):
Dr. Peter Troiano
Dr. Leif Albright
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