Date of Conferral

5-16-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Terri Edwards

Abstract

Nationwide teacher shortages have resulted in states utilizing alternative certification programs to recruit, attract, and retain teacher candidates. The problem was secondary principals are challenged to assist novice alternatively certified teachers (NACTs) in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experienced secondary principals' perspectives on their successes and challenges to assist NACTs. Experiential learning theory served as the basis for the conceptual framework. For this basic qualitative design, I conducted semistructured interviews with 11 experienced secondary school principals who worked directly with NACTs. Braun and Clarke’s six step framework was used for thematic analysis of the data. The five themes were focused on support from leadership and available mentoring, prior experiences and knowledge valued by administrators, insufficient resources, NACTs’ lack of pedagogical knowledge, and NACTs’ negative and unrealistic professional dispositions. The findings suggested that secondary school principals provide differentiated support to strengthen the instructional practices of NACTs. Additional district resources, more autonomy, and flexibility to implement and plan professional developments to improve NACT's instructional practices are necessary to support secondary school principals and NACTs as novice teachers. This study findings also suggested that the dispositions, misleading ideologies, lack of pedagogical knowledge, and misinformation regarding public education created challenges that resulted in NACTs' early termination or resignation. This study may lead to a positive social change by providing information to be used by NACT administrators and preparation programs to revise and assess policy, procedures, and resources needed to better assist and prepare NACTs'.

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