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Beginning teacher attrition is a problem that exacerbates the inequity of opportunities for all students, especially for those in schools that are already challenged by poverty. This study makes use of the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Survey (covering the period between 2008 and 2012) and U.S. Census data to identify which teachers leave and to explain why. Beyond that, it also offers a look into the characteristics of those teachers who stay at the same school for five years. The empirical investigation is embedded in a conceptual framework that draws from motivation and identity theories and brings in insights about the importance of geography and of neighborhood effects from works on poverty and education. The study utilizes a dataset with survey responses from approximately 1,800 full-time teachers from a sample designed to represent the overall population of beginning teachers in the United States. By combining individual-level longitudinal data with information about communities, it makes an important contribution to the study of new teacher placement, attrition, and retention. The evidence is presented using a variety of descriptive and inferential statistics, and the analysis includes factor analysis and logistic regression models. The results show that indicators of leaving the profession before the fifth year become apparent early on, as factors measured at the end of year one have significant effects on early career outcomes. Most prominently, higher degrees of burnout reported by teachers, which includes factors such as decreased enthusiasm and increased fatigue, are associated with increased risks for leaving the profession without the prospect to return to it and with transferring to a different school district. Several other factors on the individual and school-level emerge as relevant to career outcomes. Teachers who have Highly Qualified Teacher credentials and report a supportive school climate are at less risk to leave the profession. On the other hand, teachers with alternative certification and master’s degrees are more likely to move to a different school or districts in the first five years. In terms of socio-geographic factors that help explain teacher retention and attrition, the only significant variable in the regression models used in the analysis is the percentage of White residents at the Census tract of the Year 1 school. When everything else is held constant, decreasing this percentage from 100 to 0 increases the predicted probability of leaving the profession by approximately 20%. Considering that a vast majority of beginning teachers both in the sample and in the overall population are White, this findings fits in with theories about “the pull of home” and cultural habitus. The magnitude and significance of this finding suggest that it warrants further exploration, as racial composition of the communities is likely a measurement proxy for complex processes of inequality. / Urban Education

Cultural stigma and a looming teacher deficit, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have created an increased need for special educators. Considering these issues, this research used traditional phenomenological qualitative methodologies to understand why public-school special education teachers of students with low incidence disabilities (SETs-LIDs) remained in the profession. The purpose was to better understand the lived experiences of SETs-LIDs, and it was designed as a phenomenological qualitative study. The primary research question was "What factors impact SETs-LIDs who continue to teach in special education during difficult times?" Secondary questions were (a) "What are the lived experiences of SETs-LIDs that influence their retention?" and (b) "How do SETs-LIDs cope with the challenges of their work?" Data were obtained through a demographic survey and independent interviews, which were designed to better understand why public-school SET-LIDs remain in the profession. Participants were selected based on responses to the demographic survey, and inclusion criteria included SETs-LIDs with diverse employment backgrounds. Ninety-six special educators responded to the demographic survey and 15 SET-LIDs were interviewed. Textual descriptions generated from the research were work satisfaction from relationships, intrinsic or altruistic motivation, positive administrative experiences, and external factors. Structural descriptions of the research were frustration, a desire for understanding, inequity and exclusion, and uncertainty. The "what" and "how" of individuals impacted by the difficulties of SET-LID attrition were interpreted. Participants described meaningful relationships with students and administrators as being fundamental to their retention. This research also found that SET-LIDs desired resources, understanding, appropriate professional development, and expert guidance. Implications for professional practices and future research were suggested. / Doctor of Education / School divisions have never adequately met the demand for qualified special educators. Cultural stigma and a looming teacher deficit, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have created an increased need for special educators. However, special educators are leaving the profession, and many are avoiding the working conditions in the special education field. Many are transferring to different career fields, retiring, or finding general education jobs. Considering these issues, this research used traditional phenomenological qualitative methodologies to understand why public-school special education teachers of students with low incidence disabilities (SETs-LIDs) remained in the profession. The purpose was to better understand the lived experiences of SETs-LIDs. The primary research question was "What factors impact SETs-LIDs who continue to teach in special education during difficult times?" Secondary questions were (a) "What are the lived experiences of SETs-LIDs that influence their retention?" and (b) "How do SETs-LIDs cope with the challenges of their work?" Data were obtained through a demographic survey and independent interviews, which were designed to better understand why public-school special educators remain in the profession. Ninety-six special educators responded to the demographic survey and 15 SET-LIDs were interviewed. Participants described meaningful relationships with students and administrators as being fundamental to their retention. This research also found that SET-LIDs desired resources, understanding, appropriate professional development, and expert guidance.

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to describe experiences of building-level administrators in one urban school division in Virginia regarding preparation for having a role in retaining teachers and their perceptions of how well prepared they feel for that role. The researcher conducted one-on-one interviews with 15 administrators, representing 21.4% of all administrators in the subject-site division. The study investigated three research questions: (1) What beliefs do building-level administrators have regarding their role in the retention of teachers? (2) What experiences have building-level administrators undergone to prepare them for a role in retaining teachers? and, (3) How well prepared do building-level administrators perceive themselves to be for their role in retaining teachers? The study asked participants to consider principal preparation programs, principal professional development, and on-the-job experiences. Findings indicated that participants believed their role in teacher retention to be important; however, they tended not to have experienced explicit preparation for teacher retention. Though participants reported experiencing some preparation for creating workplace conditions favorable to retention, there was a notable diversity in viewpoint and few workplace conditions listed by participants aligned with those noted in prior research. Participants reported that their preparation had been acquired primarily through on-the-job experiences. Findings indicated that participants did not feel they had been well prepared for a role in teacher retention. This study proposed implications to be considered by those who develop and provide principal preparation and principal professional development, state and local educational agencies, and building-level administrators who seek skills and knowledge that promote the retention of teachers in their buildings. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this study was to describe preparation experiences of school administrators in one urban school division in Virginia relevant to having a role in retaining teachers, as well as their perceptions of how well prepared they believe they have been for that role. The researcher interviewed 15 administrators, representing 21.4% of all administrators in the division, to answer three research questions: (1) What beliefs do building-level administrators have regarding their role in the retention of teachers? (2) What experiences have building-level administrators undergone to prepare them for a role in retaining teachers? and, (3) How well prepared do building-level administrators perceive themselves to be for their role in retaining teachers? The study found that participants believed their role in teacher retention to be important; however, they tended not to have experienced explicit preparation about retaining teachers. Though participants reported experiencing some preparation for creating workplace conditions favorable to teacher retention, there was little agreement among participants about which workplace conditions do so. Few of the workplace conditions listed by participants in this study matched those noted in previous studies by other researchers. Participants reported that their preparation for having a role in teacher retention had been acquired primarily through on-the-job experiences. Participants reported that they did not feel they have been well prepared for a role in teacher retention. This study proposed implications to be considered by those who develop and provide principal preparation programs and principal professional development, state and local educational agencies, and building-level administrators who seek skills and knowledge that promote the retention of teachers in their buildings.

In America urban school systems have encountered difficulties retaining teachers. The ramification of teacher attrition is that the neediest students are often taught by those with the least educational experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the implications of Virginia teacher licensure regulations on teacher retention in Lighthouse City Public Schools. The study addressed four research questions: 1) "What factors influence the retention of teachers in Lighthouse City Public Schools? 2) Is it possible to predict demographically by race, gender, age, grade level of teaching assignment or licensure preparation program which groups or sub-groups of people are more likely or less likely to leave a school system? 3) Does the licensure preparation program influence retention? 4) Were the Virginia licensure requirements the reasons cited for the departure of teachers in 2004, 2005, and 2006? The research focused an urban school system in southeastern Virginia with approximately 33,000 students. The population was 361 teachers hired for the 2003 school year. A researcher developed survey was electronically mailed to the still employed teachers, and a mailed survey was sent to all the teachers who had left the school system. A multiple regression was performed on the demographic data to try to predict teacher retention or attrition. The results of the multiple regression indicated that statistically (p<.01) only the variable of licensure could be a predictor of retention. All of the survey respondents agreed that a strong principal was the key to retention. Urban school systems are challenged by local standards, state standards, and No Child Left Behind mandates, and compounding the difficulties is on-going teacher loss. It is imperative that school system leaders provide new teacher support and time for the inexperienced to learn how to become excellent. Teachers are not expendable; students are at stake. / Ph. D.

The inability of school leaders to staff the classrooms with qualified teachers and to retain them in the classrooms is a major educational concern. The failure to retain teachers hinders learning, disrupts program continuity, and affects of expenditures for recruiting and hiring (Shen, 1997). Few research studies investigate why new teachers decide to remain in the teaching profession and fewer studies examine why experienced teachers have continued in the field. Little is known about what experienced teachers think about their profession and what internal or external factors persuaded them to remain in teaching. Insight gained can provide better understanding of what motivates them to stay, and it may prove effective in guiding policies for retention. Grounded theoretical investigation, examined why experienced teachers choose to remain in an exurban school district. Interview data were collected from 25 experienced teachers with 10 years of teaching experience in the school district. The results of the study revealed that experienced teachers are motivated primarily internally but need external approval; they perceive their self-image as a teacher from the success of their students, the collegiality of fellow teachers, and from the pride of their families; they believe that school leadership can positively affect teacher retention; they believe that in the school atmosphere, interactions with students and colleagues positively affect teacher retention; and they believe that professional staff development has a positive and negative effect on teacher retention. These findings lead to significant implications and recommendations for schools and school districts. At the school level, school leadership plays a major role in teacher retention. Teachers appreciate administrators who provide them with opportunities for self-fulfillment, growth, and development; time for teacher-student interactions; and collaboration with their colleagues. It is imperative that school districts provide teachers with continuous staff development, competitive salaries, and salary increases to meet the demands of the economy. It is also vital for schools and school districts to value the voices of experienced teachers as an avenue to recruitment and retention. The information gathered from this research may be instrumental in improving working conditions that may encourage teacher retention. / Ph. D.

Teachers in California, like in many other states, are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, thus creating a severe teacher shortage. Specifically, Black teachers are leaving and this problem warrants thorough exploration in an effort to increase Black teacher retention. The objective of this dissertation was to unpack the different factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction among Black teachers in secondary public schools in Los Angeles County. In particular, the study investigated the role school leaders played in their dissatisfaction through a phenomenological study that interviewed 10 Black teachers. Using critical race theory (CRT), this study found that there were six key themes that contributed to the dissatisfaction of Black teachers: persistent awareness of race, the racialization of the teacher-student experience, hurdles to professional advancement, lack of confidence in school leadership, inconsistent and inadequate support, and the psychological and emotional impact of these experiences.

No description available.

No description available.