Abstract
ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how administrative support influences the development, sustainability, and perceived effectiveness of co-teaching partnerships in inclusive secondary classrooms. Guided by the belief that inclusive education depends on well-supported teacher collaboration, the study examined how site leaders create conditions that enable co-teachers to build instructional skills, manage complex job demands, and sustain shared ownership of student learning.
Theoretical Framework: The study was grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) theory (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007), which theorizes that employees’ well-being and performance are shaped by the balance between job demands and the resources available to meet them. Within this framework, administrative supports, such as professional learning, scheduling structures, and emotional validation, were conceptualized as key job resources that buffer stress, enhance engagement, and promote instructional quality in co-teaching environments.
Methodology: A phenomenological design was employed to capture the lived experiences of ten secondary co-teachers across five comprehensive high schools in a large California district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological method. Coding followed Creswell and Guetterman’s (2021) procedures for horizontalization, clustering, and synthesis of meaning units.
Findings and Conclusion: Six themes emerged: targeted professional learning, role clarification, strategic scheduling support, stress-mitigation practices, administrative responsiveness, and emotional support structures. Participants described that co-teaching success depended less on goodwill and more on systemic administrative intention—particularly in providing time, clarity, and trust. Schools where these supports were aligned reported stronger collaboration, reduced burnout, and greater instructional consistency. Conversely, inconsistent implementation revealed equity gaps across sites.
Recommendations: The study recommends districtwide frameworks that institutionalize co-teaching support, including protected common planning time, clear co-teaching expectations, and leadership training grounded in inclusive practice. Administrators should approach co-teaching not as accommodation but as a core instructional model that requires both structural and emotional investment.