What is Career Span

The development of special education teacher leaders has been a challenge in part due to difficulties in retaining special educators in the field. Special educators report several reasons for leaving the profession including not having opportunities for individual development and lacking influence. This high level of special educator turnover impacts the development of special education teacher leadership, given that many leave before they are fully established. In this chapter, the authors highlight what was learned from a series of research studies that focused on gaining an understanding of special education teacher leadership in schools. The authors also outline the findings from discussions with special educators at different stages of their careers regarding their aspirations and ways to support their career development in relation to teacher leadership. The chapter concludes by discussing some professional development opportunities that the authors have engaged in with special educators to develop leadership skills and experiences.