A study was conducted to determine the perceived professional development and support needs for beginning home economics teachers and to determine how they use professional development and support. A census study was conducted using all beginning (having one, two, or three years of teaching experience) home economics teachers in Illinois. Seventy-seven teachers were identified and mailed a survey form, with an 86 percent response rate. Chi-square analysis for nonparametric data and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess data. The study found that beginning home economics teachers identified "student motivation" as their greatest professional development need, followed by "stress management.""Gifted education" and "education of the mentally handicapped" ranked highest in perceived need for additional knowledge. The professional development activities that were most frequently used were "consultation with department head," followed by "faculty meetings.""Meetings for sharing ideas with other teachers" were perceived as the most helpful form of professional development, followed by "professional meetings." The beginning teachers identified "acceptance of the importance of the subject matter I teach" as their greatest need for additional support, followed by "feedback on my teaching" and "help in reducing my workload." Additional support was also needed in the areas of praise and acceptance of subject matter. As a result of the study, recommendations were made for the school system, the college, and the professional organization to act as partners in the socialization process of beginning home economics teachers. (KC)