Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Donald Lueder

Committee Member

Natolyn Jones

Keywords

teacher attrition, teacher burnout, teacher retention, teacher turnover

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to investigate the in-school and out-of-school life experiences affecting veteran teacher retention in a southeastern school district. The study sought to gain a better understanding of the factors that affected the decisions of teachers to remain with the district for more than 5 years. All of the teachers who had been working in the district for at least 5 years were potential research participant The survey was distributed to 75 teachers, and 24 teachers responded. The teachers were asked to respond to an online survey regarding their perceptions of their in-school and out-of-school experiences. The data gathered from the survey were analyzed to determine the effects of the experiences on the decisions of teachers to remain with the district.

The results of the survey indicated that in-school experiences and systems of support positively impacted the decision of a veteran group of teachers to remain at their current schools. Furthermore, teacher responses suggested that aspects such as working conditions, collaboration with other faculty members, schools’ discipline and academic expectations, and the leadership style of their principal had the highest level of positive impact on their employment decision. Based on the results, it is concluded that in-school teacher experiences and in-school support have a greater positive impact on teachers’ decision to remain at their current positions than out-of-school experiences. Recommendations for further studies include similar studies with larger districts with a high degree of diversity, urban, and suburban areas.

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