Once is Not Enough: Former Special Educators Who Return to Teaching

Abstract

This research examines the career paths of 2,700 former special educators to see whether they returned to the public schools; the results are based on longitudinal data (13 years) on all special educators in Michigan public schools hired between 1972 and 1985. Analyses focus on teachers' decisions as they faced two key turning points—whether to reenter the schools, and if so, how long to stay during this second spell. An estimated 34% of the former Michigan special educators reentered a Michigan classroom within 5 years of leaving, and an estimated 58% of these stayed for more than 7 years. I conclude that a return to teaching after a brief interruption may be a common career path, and the pool of former special educators is a viable source of teacher supply.