Impact of Job Satisfaction Upon the Retention of Bahamian Special Educators

Escalating attrition rates among all sectors of employment negatively impacts the efficiency of education systems globally. This dilemma has impacted special education for decades. The departure of special educators leaves public education systems devoid of quality educators. Understanding the influence of job satisfaction upon employee retention plays a vital role in developing effective teacher retention initiatives. The purpose of this qualitative study, which consisted of 12 participants, was to determine the influencing factors of Bahamian special educators’ withdrawal from the educational system. Job Satisfaction and Social Cognitive Career Theory grounded this study and emphasized the influence of educators’ experiences upon their career decisions. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group, and analyzed through open coding. Findings revealed that Bahamian special educators withdraw from special education because of critical factors (a) lack of support, (b) inadequate training, and (c) burnout, resulting in poor job satisfaction.