Rate My Professor Bonnie Billingsley

Bonnie Billingsley is a professor in the School of Education at Virginia Tech within the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Specializing in the Education field, she teaches courses in both teacher preparation and doctoral programs. Her research interests encompass teacher induction, retention, support, and inclusive leadership, with significant focus on special education teacher quality and effectiveness. Billingsley's scholarship addresses critical issues such as working conditions, induction support for early career educators, and the roles of leadership in fostering inclusive school environments. She has made substantial contributions to understanding factors influencing special education teacher attrition and retention, informing practices to improve teacher longevity and performance in high-need settings.

Key publications by Bonnie Billingsley include 'Special education teacher retention and attrition: A critical analysis of the research literature' (Journal of Special Education, 2004), a seminal review cited extensively in the field; 'The Working Conditions and Induction Support of Early Career Special Educators' co-authored with Elaine Carlson and Sheri Klein (Exceptional Children, 2004); and contributions to 'High Leverage Practices for Inclusive Classrooms' (Routledge, 2018). More recent works feature 'Special Education Teacher Attrition and Retention: A Review of the Literature' (Review of Educational Research, 2019), 'Improving Working Conditions to Support Special Educators' Effectiveness: A Call for Leadership' (Teacher Education and Special Education, 2020), and 'Educators' Perspectives of Working Conditions in Inclusive Elementary Schools' (2025). In 2022, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children for exemplary service to the development and advancement of quality teacher education in special education. With 64 research works garnering nearly 4,900 citations, Billingsley's body of work has profoundly influenced teacher education, special education leadership, and efforts to address workforce challenges in inclusive settings.