Abstract
Burnout, a condition associated with workplace stress, has recently grown in public interest. Educators, particularly special education teachers, have been found to be more at-risk for burnout and job turnover than other professions (Agrawal & Marken, 2022; Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). Levels of burnout are measured by three different categories in the individual: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization/cynicism, and personal accomplishment/self-efficacy (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). This study describes the stories of K-12 special education teachers from four public schools, including their burnout experiences and how those experiences have affected their job-related self-efficacy. Data were collected via rating scales and interviews with ten special education teachers. Qualitative data analysis yielded nine themes: time, classroom support, disconnecting from work, general administrative support, student relationships, workload demands, preservice training, lack of control, and classroom instructional resources. To exemplify several experiences, four case studies are described. Implications are shared for researchers interested in burnout in special education teachers and for those seeking to promote positive outcomes for special education teachers.