The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of special education teachers to reveal the factors that lead to special education teacher retention. Special education continues to be a critical shortage area in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and there is a lack of current literature that considers teachers' lived experiences in the special education field to understand the retention and attrition issues impacting the field more deeply. To understand the factors contributing to the retention of special education teachers, the researcher interviewed five teachers with more than 5 years of experience. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]