Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
12-2025
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5625-9924
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Laura A. Perry
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Christie Bledsoe
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Lawrence Davenport
Abstract
This study examined burnout among secondary special education (SPED) teachers following the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted education and intensified teacher stress. Burnout, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, has been linked to teacher attrition and decreased student achievement. The problem addressed was the increased levels of burnout and stress among SPED teachers and the lack of sufficient administrative support to mitigate these effects. The purpose was to explore SPED teachers’ perceptions of burnout since the pandemic and identify the supports needed to reduce it. Using a qualitative case study design grounded in Maslach’s burnout theory, the study gathered data from seven secondary SPED teachers at a Texas public high school. Purposeful sampling identified participants with experience before and after the pandemic. Data were collected through demographic surveys, semistructured interviews, and a Zoom focus group discussion, and were then analyzed thematically to identify patterns and perceptions. Findings revealed that teachers experienced heightened emotional exhaustion, increased workloads, and reduced morale. Participants attributed burnout to excessive administrative demands, lack of resources, insufficient training, and limited collaboration. Emotional strain from supporting high need students and inadequate administrative understanding of SPED roles further intensified stress. The study concluded that burnout among SPED teachers is a persistent issue requiring systemic change. Enhanced administrative support, targeted professional development, and improved collaborative structures are essential to reduce burnout, improve teacher retention, and promote educator well-being in post-pandemic education
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Perez, Regina, "Secondary Special Education Teachers: Perceptions on Burnout Since the Start of COVID-19" (2025). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 977.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/977
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons