Across the country—and here in New Orleans—special education teachers are leaving the classroom at alarming rates. These are the educators who work most closely with our students who need the greatest support, and their departure hits schools and families hardest.

At New Schools for New Orleans, we believed there had to be a way to change that. With our partners at SELF and the Gates Foundation, and with funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program, we launched the New Special Education Teacher Fellowship—a program designed to provide targeted support, professional development, and community for early-career special educators.

From this work, we’ve distilled four key practices that made a difference:

• Designing in Partnership – co-creating the program with school-based SPED leaders.
• High-Quality, Specialized Professional Development – providing targeted training from experts.
• Focused Observations & Feedback – supporting teachers with tools designed for special education.
• Community Building – fostering belonging and purpose among SPED teachers.

Our new playbook, Staying Power: Early Interventions to Foster Longer Careers for Special Educators, captures these early lessons. While we know there’s still more to learn, we believe these strategies can spark hope and action—for our schools, our educators, and ultimately, our students.

This work was made possible through the great support and collaboration of partners and funders. Together, we can create the conditions for special educators, and all of New Orleans educators to thrive, and for students to flourish.

TALK DAT: NOLA Education Radio Show