Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Mary Hallums

Abstract

Teacher retention and continuity are important for students, particularly for those in middle- to high-poverty, low-achieving schools. There is a gap in practice related to providing support for and overcoming barriers to the retention of teachers rated as effective, particularly keeping them with students with socioeconomic and academic need. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of leaders in Title I schools to understand better the elements and support they identify for retaining teachers rated as effective. Bruner's work explaining how needs, motivations, and expectations influence perceptions informed the study. Research questions were designed to have school leaders describe the needs and supports that help effective teachers stay in Title I schools and how the leaders provided support to those teachers. Data were gathered through individual interviews with 9 school leaders from middle- to high-poverty, low-achieving elementary schools in the Mid-Atlantic United States. A combination of a priori and open coding was used to support thematic analyses. Key themes included effective school leadership, teacher leadership practices, and nurturing school environments. Archival data from the staff section of past school climate surveys aligned with the focus of the study and supported the themes developed from the interviews. The participants indicated they maintained open and frequent communication with teachers and helped create a strong school culture where teachers felt supported as professionals. The leaders identified a need for system-wide efforts to support the retention of effective teachers. Increased teacher retention would support increased student achievement and influence long-term positive social change.

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