Date of Conferral
10-26-2026
Date of Award
October 2026
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Salina Shrofel
Abstract
The problem that was addressed through this study is the high teacher attrition across the United States, disproportionately affecting schools with high need student populations. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate teacher leaders' experiences with the leadership development component of a grant initiative and the influence on their decisions to remain or leave high need schools and/or districts. The conceptual framework for this study was the situational learning theory of legitimate peripheral participation developed by Lave and Wenger. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine teachers in a Mid-Atlantic state. Through open coding, pattern coding, and thematic analysis, the following four themes emerged: experiences participating in the components of the grant initiative (1) helped advance careers; (2) influenced personal and professional growth; (3) challenged commitments; and (4) influenced the decisions to stay in the high need school or district. Implications for positive social change are that school districts may be able to use the study findings to support teacher leaders' leadership development which might improve retention of highly qualified and experienced teachers in high need schools, which, in turn, might benefit the high need student population.
Recommended Citation
Strawbridge, Judie, "Teacher Leaders’ Experiences With a Teacher Leadership Model for Teacher Retention" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20959.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20959
