Project SUSTAIN

We are developing and testing the SUSTAIN intervention to enhance the conditions for teaching for special educators of students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) in self-contained settings.

Overview

Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, Project SUSTAIN is a four-year Development and Innovation study to adapt an existing intervention, the Healthy Workplace Participatory Program, for special education teachers working with students with EBD.

We know that this population of educators experience challenging conditions for teaching. For example, they typically work 10 hrs a week outside of the school day and rarely are able to take their allotted planning time. Such conditions are linked with increased burnout, plans to leave the profession, and attrition, as well as lower student academic achievement. By enhancing special educators’ conditions for teaching, we anticipate increased teacher wellbeing, retention, and better student outcomes.