The Crucial Role of Administrators in Shaping Working Conditions for Teachers of Students With EBD

Abstract

School administrators make decisions that directly affect the educational context in which teachers work and students learn. In this commentary, we argue that addressing the burnout of individual special educators without attending to school working conditions may do little to improve teachers’ burnout and the outcomes of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). We review the literature regarding the importance of working conditions, specifically collegial supports, workload and time pressure, professional development and in-service training, and safety, for teachers’ affect and career decisions, and literature showing how administrators’ choices are related to working conditions. Students with EBD are served within schools, not just by special educators acting independently and alone. Improving implementation of evidence-based practices for students with EBD through addressing teacher burnout requires attention to the broader school system and the ways in which administrators make choices that support or constrain the abilities of the teachers within their schools.