Date of Conferral

7-3-2024

Date of Award

July 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Donald Poplau

Abstract

The problem that was addressed in this study is the high rate of teacher attrition at a K–8 Title I school in Arizona. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the teachers who have chosen to remain at this school rather than leave. The theoretical framework of the study was based on Herzog’s motivational theory pertaining to the factors that can influence job satisfaction and lead to higher employee retention. The research questions focused on the perceptions of teachers that contribute to their decisions to remain at the study site and what types of support they desire to continue to at the school. The participants were nine teachers who had decided to stay at the study site school after completing at least 1 year of employment. The collected interview data were coded and analyzed for common themes. Key findings include fair compensation, strong relationships with families and students, the autonomy teachers have in educating their students, and the resilience demonstrated by teachers as primary reasons for their retention at a school. These findings provided valuable insight and formed the basis to create professional development for school administrators on the topic of how to better support teachers to increase teacher retention. Addressing teacher attrition is essential for alleviating the ongoing teacher shortages at this local school. Improving the retention rates of teachers will provide stability and enriches the educational environment. The stability of consistent teacher presence enriches the educational environment for all stakeholders

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