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Critical factors impacting the exodus from teaching ranks: an evaluative study of an independent Christian school
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Critical factors impacting the exodus from teaching ranks: an evaluative study of an independent Christian school
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Content
Running head: TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 1
Critical Factors Impacting the Exodus from Teaching Ranks
An Evaluative Study of an Independent Christian School
by
Cassondra R. Koett
A Dissertation Proposal Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2020
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 2
Dedication
Words could never fully express the deep gratitude and humility I feel being able to honor those
closest to me with this educational achievement. I dedicate this accomplishment to each of you:
This study is dedicated to my husband and best friend Dan Koett whose unwavering
support and positive attitude kept be going on the days when I wanted to give up the fight. You
are the most understanding man I know making sacrifices of our time together as I pursued this
educational dream. You are my rock and I love you with all my heart.
To my mom who was my first role model and continues to be someone I aspire to be like
on a daily basis. Your encouragement through a simple note or even a plane ticket means more
than you will ever know.
To my students who constantly push me to be better version of myself each day. You
motivate me to continue to grow as an educator. You have taught me far more than I have ever
taught you.
To my fellow teachers and administrators who inspire and motivate me to passionately
pursue my dreams. Thank you for asking about my progress and encouraging me to press on in
those challenging days.
And finally to Max; I can’t even count the hours you were by my side or warming my
feet on the days when I needed you most. I miss you most Scarecrow.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 3
Acknowledgements
I am truly blessed to have an amazing network of people, near and far, who have
supported me in this journey. My heartfelt thanks to you all:
First, I want to thank God because without Him none of this would have been possible.
I want to express my thanks and appreciation to my dissertation committee, Dr. Ekaterina
Moore, Dr. Melanie Brady, and Dr. Kimberly Ferrario who mentored me through this crazy
process. Your professionalism and dedication to your profession is amazing. Thank you for
making me a better researcher and writer.
To my family whose steadfast love and support carried me through the days when I did
not think I would be able to make it to the end of this journey. To my husband who walked with
me through every step of the process and believed in me when I didn’t; his faith in me never
waivered. Thank you for your patience and understanding when I had to work nights and
weekends. My mom and sister for always being there with an encouraging word. Thank you for
your love and support. I would not have made it through this without each of you.
To all the teachers who came before and who will come after me at my school. You are
the part of the reason I started this research process. I know how hard you work and how much
you pour into every lesson and more importantly the way you care about the students in your
charge. You are the unsung heroes and I am so thankful for the friendships I have made with all
of you.
To my OCL Cohorts – it was a privilege to learn from and with you. A big thank you to
my reading group and a virtual hug to my writing partner, Kim, who motivated me and kept me
sane. We came, we wrote, we conquered. Fight on!
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 4
Abstract
Considerable research has been conducted on teacher attrition and best practices related
to retaining teachers. Researchers agree that the growing teacher attrition rates continue to be a
problem of significance. Consequences for growing teacher attrition rates are far reaching
including factors such as student achievement rates to significant financial costs for schools and
communities. While there exists an expansive amount of studies on public schools and teacher
retention, less research exists on the private school sector. This evaluative study is an
examination of an independent school in the Southern Midwest and the factors leading to teacher
attrition. The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluative study analyzing the knowledge,
motivational, and organizational factors associated with teacher retention rates. Utilizing the
Clark and Estes (2008) framework and gap analysis model, this study examined the knowledge
and skills, motivations, and organizational influences necessary to achieve the organizational
goal of increasing teacher retention rates by 30%. Interviews with school leaders were
conducted to reveal these influences. Recommendations to moderate and lessen teacher attrition
are provided. The researcher used the New World Kirkpatrick Model was utilized to assess and
value the recommendations-based interventions.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 5
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY ........................................................................ 9
Introduction of the Problem of Practice ...................................................................................... 9
Organizational Context and Mission ......................................................................................... 10
Organizational Goal .................................................................................................................. 11
Related Literature ...................................................................................................................... 13
Importance of the Evaluation .................................................................................................... 14
Description of Stakeholder Groups ........................................................................................... 16
Stakeholder Group of Focus ...................................................................................................... 18
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions ........................................................................ 18
Methodological Approach and Rationale .................................................................................. 19
Definitions ................................................................................................................................. 20
Organization of the Project ....................................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 22
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 22
Turnover: A Historical Review ................................................................................................. 22
Reasons for Teacher Attrition ................................................................................................... 23
Lack of Support ..................................................................................................................... 23
Inadequate Preparation and Experience ................................................................................ 25
Compensation and benefits .................................................................................................... 26
Consequences of Teacher Attrition ........................................................................................... 27
Student Achievement ............................................................................................................. 27
Overall School Health, Climate, and Effectiveness .............................................................. 28
Use of Teacher Mentoring and Induction Programs ................................................................. 29
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Gap Analysis Framework ................................................................... 31
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences ...................................... 32
Knowledge and Skills ............................................................................................................ 32
Reasons Teachers Are Leaving Profession ........................................................................ 33
Negative Impact of Teacher Attrition ................................................................................ 34
Leadership Influence on Teacher Retention ...................................................................... 35
Motivation ............................................................................................................................. 36
Self-Efficacy ...................................................................................................................... 37
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 6
Utility Value....................................................................................................................... 39
Organizational Cultures and Beliefs ...................................................................................... 41
Cultural Model Influences ..................................................................................................... 42
Cultural Setting Influences .................................................................................................... 43
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation and the
Organizational Context ............................................................................................................. 45
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 48
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 49
Methodological Approach and Rationale .................................................................................. 49
Participating Stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 51
Interview Sampling Rationale ............................................................................................... 51
Interview Sampling Criteria .................................................................................................. 52
Criteria ............................................................................................................................... 52
Data Collection and Instrumentation......................................................................................... 53
Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 54
Interview Protocol ................................................................................................................. 54
Interview Procedures ............................................................................................................. 55
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 56
Credibility and Trustworthiness ................................................................................................ 58
Researcher Positionality ............................................................................................................ 61
Limitations and Delimitations ................................................................................................... 62
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS ........................................................................ 64
Participating Stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 64
Results and Findings ................................................................................................................. 65
Qualitative Interview Themes ................................................................................................... 65
Knowledge Findings ................................................................................................................. 67
Research Question #1: What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy
school leadership’s ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention? ................ 67
Theme 1: Reasons for Teacher Attrition ........................................................................... 68
Theme 2: Effects of Attrtion .............................................................................................. 72
Theme 3: Providing Teacher Support. ............................................................................... 74
Summary of Knowledge Findings............................................................................................. 76
Motivation Findings .................................................................................................................. 77
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 7
Research Question #2: What motivation influences affect Genesis Christian Academy
school leadership’s ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention? ................ 77
Theme 4: Value of Relationships in Mentoring Program. ................................................ 78
Theme 5: Relational Skills to Support Teachers ............................................................... 80
Summary of Motivation Findings ............................................................................................. 81
Organizational Findings ............................................................................................................ 82
Research Question #3: What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by
Genesis Christian Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal
teacher induction and retention program .............................................................................. 82
Theme 6: Use Of Retention Resources............................................................................... 83
Theme 7: Consistency of Teacher Feedback/Evaluations ................................................ 84
Theme 8: Culture of Trust .................................................................................................. 86
Summary of Organizational Findings ....................................................................................... 87
Synthesis of KMO Findings ...................................................................................................... 87
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................ 89
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences ................................................... 89
Knowledge Recommendations .............................................................................................. 89
Increase the declarative knowledge for school leaders. ..................................................... 90
Motivation Recommendations ............................................................................................... 92
Improve the self-efficacy of leaders. ................................................................................. 93
Organization Recommendations............................................................................................ 95
A culture of trust and openness must exist within the organization .................................. 96
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan ....................................................................... 98
Implementation and Evaluation Framework ......................................................................... 98
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations ................................................................... 98
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators ............................................................................... 99
Level 3: Behavior ................................................................................................................ 101
Critical behaviors ............................................................................................................. 101
Required drivers ............................................................................................................... 103
Organizational support ..................................................................................................... 106
Level 2: Learning ................................................................................................................. 107
Learning goals .................................................................................................................. 107
Program ............................................................................................................................ 108
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 8
Evaluation of the components of learning ....................................................................... 108
Level 1: Reaction ................................................................................................................. 111
Evaluation Tools .................................................................................................................. 111
During and immediately following the program implementation ................................... 112
Delayed for a period after the program implementation .................................................. 112
Data Analysis and Reporting ............................................................................................... 113
Summary .............................................................................................................................. 114
Future Research ....................................................................................................................... 114
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 115
References ............................................................................................................................... 116
Appendix A: Interview Protocol ............................................................................................ 123
Appendix B: Interview Questions ........................................................................................... 124
Appendix C: Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research .................................................. 127
Appendix D: Instrument Alignment Table............................................................................. 129
Appendix E: Teacher Retention Training Survey .................................................................. 131
Appendix F: Leadership Self Reflection Questionnaire ........................................................ 135
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 9
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Introduction of the Problem of Practice
Poor teacher retention rates and concerns over the problem are long withstanding, and
much research exists of the vast array of reasons why teachers leave and stay in the profession.
Research from the National Center for Educational Statistics reveals growing attrition rates from
10% in 2007-2008 to 17 percent in 2001-2012. The growing attrition rates, from 10 percent not
returning in 2007-2008 to 17 percent in 2011-2012, demonstrates that this is a problem (National
Center for Education Statistics, 2014). Additionally, the National Education Association reports
that 20% of all new teachers leave the teaching profession within three years (NEA, 2006). Even
though more than 2.2 billion dollars are spent each year addressing teacher retention factors
(Alliance for Excellent Education, 2014), schools continue to struggle with teacher shortages and
retaining quality teachers (Morello, 2014). Current estimates indicate that schools will need to
hire 2.9 to 5.1 million teachers in order to replace teachers who are exiting the schools they teach
in or those teachers leaving the professional altogether (Aaronson & Meckel, 2008). The
evidence highlights that teachers are leaving the classrooms for a variety of reasons from
personality traits to lack of support (Ingersoll, 2001; Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013; Borman
& Dowling, 2008; Goldhaber & Cowan, 2014; DeAngelis & Presley, 2011). Teacher attrition
also puts a financial strain on schools as noted in a study by the Alliance for Excellent Education
(2014) indicating that nationwide, schools lose between $1 billion and $2.2 billion dollars each
year from teachers moving or leaving the profession.
The National Center for Education Statistics (2014) categorizes surveyed teachers into
three groups: leavers, movers, and stayers. Stayers are teachers who remain with the same
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 10
school in the current year, movers are those who have moved to a different school but remain in
the teaching profession, and leavers are those who leave the teaching profession altogether.
Private schools appear to be at a greater disadvantage as it relates to teacher attrition rates.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the teacher leaver rate for private
schools is almost twice as high as its public school counterpart (National Center for Education
Statistics, 2014). This problem is important because of the correlation between student
achievement and teacher attrition rates (Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013; Borman & Dowling,
2008; Goldhaber & Cowan, 2014).
Organizational Context and Mission
Genesis Christian Academy
1
is a private, college preparatory school serving a student
body of 1452 students in preschool through 12
th
grades. Genesis Christian Academy is located
in Central, Kentucky and has been educating the youth from region for over thirty years.
Genesis Christian Academy’s vision is to pursue a world class, Christ-centered education
(Genesis Christian Academy, 2018). The mission of the school is to equip and nurture students
to fulfill God’s calling on their lives through Christ-centered education (Genesis Christian
Academy, 2018). All stakeholders, including board members, administration, faculty, staff,
parents, students, and community members, commit to providing a creative and loving
environment where students can grow spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically, and
academically through individual and group learning experiences. (Genesis Christian Academy,
2018). Genesis Christian Academy is a private, independent school and the primary source of
1
Genesis Christian Academy is a pseudonym. The organization’s website was used to get mission and vision
statement information and is not shared here to protect the privacy of the organization.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 11
income is tuition dollars; therefore, maintaining a quality teacher staff is critical for the
sustainability and longevity of the organization.
Organizational Goal
Genesis Christian Academy’s purpose is to encourage students to grow in a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ and to emphasize the value of the eternal soul, the worth of the
individual, the love for God and Man, and the kinship of all persons while providing students
with the opportunity to achieve academic excellence and using their special gifts in fine arts and
athletics (Genesis Christian Academy, 2018). To effectively achieve the organization mission
and goal of a world-class, Christ-centered education focusing on academics and remaining a
competitive college preparatory school, the school will improve overall teacher retention by 30%
by examining factors associated with teacher retention as well as evaluating current teacher
mentoring and induction program.
Teacher retention continues to be a problem for Genesis Christian Academy with
retention rates significantly increasing over the past few years. Table 1 highlights the attrition
rates at Genesis Christian Academy for the past five years.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 12
Table 1
Genesis Christian Academy Attrition Rates
School Year Attrition Rates
2014-2015 4.9%
2015-2016 5.3%
2016-2017 12.1%
2017-2018 13.6%
2018-2019 12.9%
In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 85.6% of teaches stayed in the same school from one year to
the next with 6% moving to a different school and 8.4% leaving the public school system
(Department of Education, 2016). With current teacher attrition rates at almost double their
public school counterparts, Genesis Christian Academy cannot ignore the teacher retention issue.
Teachers at Genesis Christian Academy are leaving at a faster rate than public schools
demonstrating the severity of the teacher retention problem within the organization. According
to the most recent study of teacher retention by the Department of Education, private school
teachers are leaving at a faster rate, almost double, that of their public school counterparts except
for those teachers with twenty or more years of experience (National Center for Education
Statistics, 2014). The impact of student achievement and teacher retention is well documented
with teacher effectiveness being one of the most influential factors in student achievement gains
(Ronfeldt, Loeb, and Wycoff, 2013, Brown & Wynn, 2007, Ingersoll, 2001).
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 13
In order to determine effective solutions to the teacher attrition problem, current teacher
attrition rates and reasons teachers are leaving or have considered leaving the school must be
reviewed and evaluated. Understanding the factors associated with teacher attrition is critical to
ensure the school’s goal of providing a world-class, Christ-centered education to all students.
Furthermore, evaluating the current teacher retention rates and reasons teachers are leaving the
school will assist all stakeholders to make decisions about our overall school health and
wellbeing. By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention rates by
30%; therefore, teacher attrition factors will be evaluated by school leadership qualitative data
collection and analysis.
Currently, Genesis Christian Academy has a teacher evaluation process in place;
however, it is not consistent or structured. Some principals provide feedback in the form of face-
to-face meetings while others send feedback in emails with little follow up. Additionally, there
is an informal teacher induction and mentoring program in place; however, it remains
unstructured with low accountability. Most principals and campus directors do not follow the
same processes and procedures relating to new teacher induction and mentoring. While all new
teachers are assigned a mentor, no formal mentoring program exists outlining the goals and
objectives of mentoring. With teacher attrition rates continuing to increase over the past four
years at Genesis Christian Academy, inducting and mentoring new teachers is especially critical
to meet the organizational global goal.
Related Literature
Poor teacher retention rates and concerns over the problem are long withstanding and
much research exists of the vast array of reasons why teacher stay and leave the profession. The
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 14
latest research from the National Center for Educational Statistics reveals growing attrition rates
from 10% in 2007-2008 to 17 percent in 2001-2012. Additionally, the National Education
Association reports that 20% of all new teachers leave the teaching profession within 3 years
(NEA, 2006). Research indicates that teacher attrition rates are higher when compared with
other professions like law and medicine and understanding the factors associated with teacher
attrition can assist schools like Genesis Christian Academy in retaining a quality teaching staff
(Morello, 2014).
The emphasis of retaining quality teachers looks at factors that increase tenure within the
profession. Literature highlights the various factors influencing teacher attrition including
working conditions, lack of administrative support, inadequate preparation and experience, as
well as compensation and benefits (Kelchtermans, 2017; Borman & Dowling, 2008; Ingersoll,
2001). Furthermore, the research highlights the impact of school leadership as well as new
teacher induction and mentoring programs (Ingersoll, 2001; Newberry & Allsop, 2017; Brown &
Wynn, 2007). Teacher attrition and retention research has focused on a variety of factors and
issues with the hopes of affecting teacher retention in a positive way. Through
acknowledgement and understanding of factors associated with teacher retention programs and
policies can be created to increase teacher retention rates.
Importance of the Evaluation
Researchers agree that the growing teacher attrition rates continue to be a problem of
alarming significance. Consequences for growing teacher attrition rates are far reaching
including factors such as student achievement rates to significant financial costs for schools and
communities. Substantial research evidences the correlation between teacher turnover and
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 15
student achievement (Borman & Dowling, 2008; Goldhaber & Cowan, 2014; Ronfeldt, et. al,
2013; Ingersoll, 2001). One study examined 66 elementary students to look at the relationship
between teacher turnover and student performance on statewide assessments in reading and
math; the results indicate that schools with higher level of teacher turnover rates show lower
achievement (Guin, 2004). According to Bryk and Schneider (2002) the quality of the
relationship and trust between teachers and students can predict student achievement. When
teachers leave the school and/or profession, previously held trusting relationships are disrupted
(Bryk & Schneider, 2002).
In addition, a study by Hanselman, Grigg, Bruch, and Gamoran (2011) highlights that
teacher turnover can have a disruptive effect on the development and maintenance of social
resources. When teachers leave schools, they also take with them school organization
knowledge which is critical to instructional programming (Abelson & Baysinger, 1984).
Furthermore, new hires initially lack school-specific culture and organizational knowledge
unique to the school; therefore, these newly hired teachers must be informed of these factors
(Abelson & Baysinger, 1984). Teacher turnover can also impact the financial resources within
schools. The recruiting, hiring and training of new teachers requires a significant investment
(Barnes, Crowe & Schaefer, 2007).
It is the global organization goal of Genesis Christian Academy to improve teacher
retention rates by 30% by May 2021. The school chooses this goal as a means to create
consistency in educational programming across all grade levels and content areas as well as the
potential positive impact on enrollment numbers and school revenue. Identifying the factors
associated with teacher turnover rates at Genesis Christian Academy will be critical in
identifying potential solutions and meeting the organizational goal.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 16
Description of Stakeholder Groups
A stakeholder in education is “anyone who is invested in the welfare and success of a
school and its students” (Education Reform, 2014). Genesis Christian Academy has a diverse
body of stakeholders, each with the ability to influence and affect the organization’s mission;
however, as evidenced by the literature (Ingersoll, 2001; Borman & Dowling, 2008; Brown &
Wynn, 2007) those most impacting teacher retention are administration, teachers, and board
members. The first group of stakeholders is administration, which includes head of school,
director of curriculum and instruction, principals, and assistant principals. Administration is
responsible for carrying out the school mission through the enforcement of policies and
procedures. School administrators have a direct influence on teacher retention rates; therefore,
by May 2021, school administration will evaluate current teacher attrition rates looking at
reasons for staying and leaving as well as evaluate current informal mentoring and induction
program.
The second group of stakeholders is teachers. Teachers are all those in an instructional
role including teacher aides. Teachers are responsible for carrying out the mission of the school
through quality and effective instructional programming, student/teacher relationships, and
parent communication. Because this dissertation focuses on teacher retention, teachers are
critical stakeholders. Master teachers have a tremendous ability to influence the other teachers in
their building through mentoring and induction programs as well as serving as a resource for one
another. Genesis Christian Academy employs a total of 114 teachers, 102 classified as full time
and 12 are part time. Of the 114 teachers, 90 are female and 24 are male with 15 holding a
bachelor’s degree, 70 holdings a master’s degree and 3 holding a doctoral degree. By August
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 17
2021, all teachers will participate in professional development for mentorship and induction as
well as report a higher job satisfaction rate increasing teacher retention by 30%.
The third group of stakeholders is the Board of Directors. Board members include
parents who currently have or have had children enrolled at Genesis Christian Academy. The
Board of Directors serves a policy-making leadership role with the school creating and
implementing policy, ensuring financial strength and viability, and supporting and evaluating the
head of school. By May 2021, Board members will examine the effectiveness of school
administration leadership on teacher retention. Each of these outlined goals contributes directly
to the overall organizational performance as illustrated in Table 2 below.
Table 2
Stakeholder Focus Groups
Organizational Mission
The mission of the school is to equip and nurture students to fulfill God’s calling on their lives through
Christ-centered education.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention by 30%.
School Leadership Teachers Board
By May 2021, school
leadership will evaluate
current teacher attrition rates,
reasons for staying/leaving,
and evaluate current
mentoring program.
By August 2021, all teachers
will participate in training for
teacher mentoring as well as
report a higher jo satisfaction
rate with retention rates
increasing by 30%.
By May 2021, Board
members will examine the
effectiveness of leadership on
teacher retention.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 18
Stakeholder Group of Focus
While Genesis Christian Academy has many stakeholders critical to the retention of a
quality teaching staff, the stakeholder group of focus for this dissertation is school leadership.
While a complete evaluation would involve all stakeholders within the organization, this study
will focus on school leaders. School leadership are charged with setting and enforcing school
policy for school operations in conjunction with governing board of directors because in order to
achieve the stakeholder goal of increasing teacher retention rate by 30%, policy must support the
type of environment and culture that will encourage retention of teachers. School leadership,
which includes the head of school, principals, assistant principals, and campus directors, has the
ability to put into place procedures and programs aimed at positively affecting teacher retention
rates at Genesis Christian Academy. If the organization neglects to understand why teachers are
electing to leave the school or the profession altogether, the organizational global goal and
stakeholder goals will fail.
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions
The purpose of this dissertation is to conduct an evaluative study analyzing the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors associated with teacher attrition rates at
Genesis Christian Academy. Through careful qualitative data collection and analysis using
interviews, the study will reveal knowledge, motivation, and organizational reasons for attrition.
Utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) framework and gap analysis model, this study will examine
the knowledge and skills, motivations, and organizational influences necessary to achieve the
organizational goal of increasing teacher retention rates by 30%.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 19
The research questions that will guide this study are:
1. What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
2. What motivational influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
3. What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by Genesis Christian
Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal teacher
induction and retention program
Methodological Approach and Rationale
This dissertation study utilized the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework, which is
a methodical and diagnostic method that aids in clarification of organizational goals while
identifying knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences. This analysis type was
espoused as the dissertation evaluation model and applied to the conceptual framework. The
methodological approach must consider KMO influences that impact teacher retention; therefore,
a thorough qualitative approach for data collection and analysis will be utilized in this study.
Employing a careful, well-planned, and developed qualitative approach will allow the researcher
to focus purposefully on factors relating to teacher attrition (Creswell, 2014; Merrriam & Tisdell,
2016). Because qualitative research seeks to understand how people have constructed meaning
and made sense of their world and experiences (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), this approach is well
suited for this evaluative study. The qualitative approach will allow the researcher to investigate
the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on teacher retention. Specifically, this
project will utilize document analysis and interviews.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 20
Definitions
Administrative support: Support given to teachers by school leadership. The support can
come in many forms such as teacher leader opportunities, professional development,
collaborative planning times, feedback, mentoring and induction programs.
Attrition: The reduction in the number of teachers in a school, district, or the teaching
profession (Ingersoll, 2001).
Leaver: A teacher who leaves the teaching profession (Ingersoll, 2001).
Mentor: Used to describe the role a veteran teacher assumes when advising and/or
coaching a novice teacher through a formal mentoring program (Hanson, S., & Moir, E, 2008).
Mover: Used to describe a teacher who moves from one school to another (Ingersoll,
2001).
New Teacher: For the purpose of this study, new teachers at Genesis Christian Academy
is defined as teachers who have zero to two years of experience
Retention: The act of teachers electing to stay in their current position (Ingersoll, 2001).
Stayer: Used to describe a teacher who remains with the same school and the teaching
profession (Ingersoll, 2001).
Organization of the Project
This research study is organized into five chapters. In Chapter One, the researcher
introduces the problem, the problem of practice within the organization, relevant literature, key
concepts relating to teacher retention, and terminology. Chapter Two will review existing
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 21
literature on teacher attrition and retention. Additionally, gap analysis literature based on teacher
knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences will be discussed. Chapter Three will
outline the research methodology for data collection and analysis. In Chapter Four, research
findings from data analysis will be presented. Chapter Five will outline potential solutions for
closing the knowledge, motivation, and organization gap as well as recommend additional
improvement plans connected to the organization’s goals.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 22
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Introduction
Quality teachers and teaching remain the most influential factors in the overall and
sustainable success of any school. Poor attrition rates of the best and most qualified teachers will
negatively impact the student learning experience, the reputation of the school, and in some
cases, especially related to private school dependent on tuition dollars for operation, the very
ability to keep the doors open. Poor teacher retention affects a myriad of factors within a school
including the overall school health, climate and effectiveness and more importantly, student
achievement and success.
The discussion below provides an overview of the literature addressing the growing
teacher attrition rates including a historical perspective, reasons for teacher attrition, the
consequences of teacher attrition, and the influence of teacher induction and mentoring
programs. The literature review will conclude with a discussion of the Clark and Estes (2008)
gap analysis framework addressing the knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences
related to teacher retention.
Turnover: A Historical Review
Teacher attrition rates have a history dating back to late 1980’s which has been
ascribed to the Baby Boomer generation and a lack of skilled and competent teaching candidates
to fill openings created by the Baby Boomer generation (Brooks-Young, 2007). However, a closer
look at the research reveals that while schools were experiencing teacher retirements, the need for
added teachers was due in larger part to teacher attrition (Ingersoll, 2001). These revelations
shifted the focus of study to understanding the reasons teachers were leaving the profession.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 23
Researchers began to look at school factors such as culture, support, and induction and mentoring
programs (Willis, 2014 & Ingersoll, 2001). Additionally, the vast number of teachers who were
leaving the professional altogether in search of higher paying jobs, increased job satisfaction, and
better opportunities further complicated the teacher retention problem.
Reasons for Teacher Attrition
Although a number of factors have been identified as reasons for teachers leaving the
school or the profession altogether, lack of support, inadequate preparation, and low
compensation and benefits are the most commonly cited in the research.
Lack of Support
According to the research, strong relationships between school leadership and teacher are
vital to teacher turnover within a school (Kelchtermans, 2017; Borman & Dowling, 2008;
Ingersoll, 2001). Schools are social environments with complex relationship structures which
require teachers to build and maintain relationships with many stakeholders. Ingersoll (2001)
describes support from administration as the amount of assistance provided to teachers as
reported by teachers. Higher teacher attrition rates are more predominant for those teachers who
have lower levels of teacher networking opportunities, administrative support, and collaboration
(Borman & Dowling, 2008). In the critical first years of teaching, many beginning teachers are
provided with less support than veteran teachers because new teachers are not familiar with the
workings of the school and where to see helpful resources (Borman & Dowling, 2008). One
Massachusetts study reported that most new teachers surveyed had little to no direction from
administration (Johnson, Birkeland, Kardos, Kaufman, Liu, & Penske, 2001). Beginning
teachers, those with less than three years of experience, are typically assigned the most
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 24
challenging classroom assignments with inadequate resources (Borman & Dowling, 2008 &
Ingersoll, 2001). Furthermore, new teachers most often report feeling isolated from the rest of
the school with little time to seek assistance from other teachers (Ingersoll, 2001). Ingersoll
(2001) cites that 45% of teachers leave the profession within the first five years of teaching.
In a study on teacher retention, Hirsch (2005) cited that more than a quarter of teachers
surveyed indicated that leadership was the most critical factor in their decision to stay or leave a
school. Teachers with strong leadership support and empowerment are more likely to stay with
their current school than those without such factors (Hirsch & Emerick, 2007). In a similar
teacher retention study by Thornton, Perrault, and Jennings (2007), the most important factor in a
teacher’s decision to leave or stay with a school was leadership. Supportive and positive
leadership practices are important to teacher retention. School leadership plays a critical role in
teacher retention and is a key indicator of school retention rates (Thibodeaux, et. al, 2015;
Ingersoll, 2001; Kelchtermans, 2017; Newberry & Allsop, 2017; Towers & McGuire, 2017;
Brown & Wynn, 2007). School leadership is vital when looking at organizational-level factors
linked to teacher attrition. Relationship conflict between leadership and teachers is influential in
retention rates (Newberry & Allsop, 2017; Brown & Wynn, 2007). Higher teacher attrition rates
are more prevalent in schools with lower administrative support (Brown & Wynn, 2007).
Teachers place a high value on administrative support for job satisfaction and one study
indicated that principal leadership has a robust effect on teachers staying in the teaching
profession (Thibodeaux, et. al, 2015). A study by Ingersoll (2001) revealed that 40% of teachers
who leave high poverty schools mention lack of or low levels of administrative support as a
critical factor in their overall job satisfaction. Teachers desire recognition from their leadership
teams as it contributes to their feelings of value and trust (Kelchtermans, 2017). Additionally,
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 25
principals tend to place higher pressure on teachers who teach in content areas that are measured
by state-mandated testing causing teachers to leave the profession (Thibodeaux, et. al, 2015). A
study conducted by Scherff (2008) revealed that over 55% of surveyed teachers indicated
emphasis placed on test scores by school administration was a factor in their decision to leave the
teaching profession. This is especially true of English teachers who are accountable for high-
stakes reading and writing assessments (Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008).
Inadequate Preparation and Experience
The effectiveness of teacher preparation programs continues to be an area of research
focus. Attrition rates tend to be higher in the beginning stages of a teacher’s career due to the
inability to transfer knowledge-specific skills learned in teacher preparations programs to their
job (Borman & Dowling, 2008). Moreover, while graduates of teacher preparation programs are
entering a variety of different schools, the teacher preparation program completed, does not
adapt to those changing environments which new teachers are entering (Goldharber & Cowan,
2014). Additionally, according to research by Goldharber and Cowan (2014) there is significant
variation in not only the candidates who are admitted to teacher preparation programs but also
the skills that are taught to prepare teachers for lengthy careers in the teaching profession.
Currently only sixteen states hold teacher preparation programs accountable for teacher quality
(Von Hippel, Bellows, Osborne, Lincove, & Mills, 2016). Accountability in education is a
foundation of education reform including teacher preparation programs. There are two main
types of accountability specifically related to teacher preparation including the direct monitoring
of preparation programs via approval and accreditation and the monitoring of individual teachers
by means of licensure and certification (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Teacher’s
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 26
satisfaction with their preparation programs is predictive for early career attrition rates
(DeAngelis, Wall, & Che, 2013).
The school environments teachers are entering upon graduation also affects teacher
retention relating to teacher preparation programs as many students matriculate from these
programs feeling ill prepared to handle the academic and behavioral needs of students in schools
with high poverty rates (Thibodeaux, et. al, 2015). According to Kelchtermans (2017), teacher
preparation programs should be tasked with preparing teachers to work with children as well as
adults they will interact with as well. Students are not the only persons teacher interact with on a
regular basis; teachers also must communicate and work together with parents as well as
community members.
Compensation and benefits
Teacher compensation and benefits continue to be a factor related to teacher attrition
rates going back to the 1980’s in a study by Lamb (1980) who cited that compensation for
teachers is not aligned with the duties and responsibilities of the teaching profession.
Compensation remains one of the top reasons cited by teachers for leaving the profession
(Ingersoll, 2001). Teacher salaries are a predictor of a teacher’s decision to leave the profession
or school (Borman & Dowling, 2008). Salary tends to be a more critical factor for male teachers
due in part to the fact that many men remain the larger source of income in the home (Borman &
Dowling, 2008). Research seems to highlight that salaries do impact a teacher’s decision to
move to another school (Imazeki, 2005). In one study of New York schools, teachers who
moved from one school to another received a 14-percent salary increase on average (Lankford,
Loeb, & Wycoff, 2002). Additionally, Imazeki (2005) found that increasing salaries in the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 27
Wisconsin area schools reduced the number of teachers who left one school for another. Finally,
at the national level Ingersoll (2001) discovered that new teachers were less likely to leave one
school for another if salaries in neighboring schools were comparable. Pink (2009) suggests that
compensation is a motivating factor with mixed results on teacher retention, yet compensation
and benefits should be at a level allowing for teachers to focus on their jobs and not issues
outside the school like making financial ends meet. While increasing salaries can have an
immediate positive impact on teacher retention and morale (Hughes, 2012; Brill & McCartney,
2008), according to Brill and McCartney (2008) salary increases need to be around 20% for a
substantial impact on teacher retention. Private schools experience the salary and compensation
challenge on a larger scale as private school teachers earn significantly less income than their
public school counterparts. Private schools have smaller budgets than public schools causing the
discrepancy in pay differences. Average salaries for public school teachers are about $50,000
while private school average salaries are $36,000 (Ezzeldine, 2004; Pomerantz, Mooreman, &
Litwack, 2007).
Consequences of Teacher Attrition
Poor teacher retention rates have negative impacts on student achievement as well as
overall school health, climate, and effectiveness.
Student Achievement
Teacher turnover is disruptive to the instructional programming within a school as well as
impacts collaborative efforts and teacher networks (Ronfeldt, et. al, 2013). Researchers point to
teachers as the top factor influencing student achievement (Carver-Thomas & Darling-
Hammond, 2017). In one study by Borman and Dowling (2008), the performance of 5
th
grade
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 28
students on achievement tests continued to have a negative impact on students with an
ineffective 3
rd
grade teacher highlighting the impact poor teaching continues to have on students
even as they advance to upper grade levels. The difference between a student being taught by a
highly qualified teacher and a lesser qualified teacher can translate into a full grade level within a
single school year.
In addition, a factor influencing student achievement is the type of teacher who leaves the
school. In one study, student achievement rates were impacted more when the departing teacher
was classified as effective over average or novice (Goldharber & Cowan, 2014). Loeb, Ronfeldt
and Wycoff (2012) highlight further the impact of teacher retention on student achievement in
their study that showed student test scores in math were 7.4% - 9.6% lower when there were high
levels of teacher turnover. Additionally, student test scores in English Language Arts were 6% -
8.3% lower when correlated with years where there was little to no teacher turnover (Loeb, et. al,
2012). Research supports the impact of teacher turnover on student achievement regardless of
the type of school community (Ingersoll, 2001; Goldharber & Cowan, 2014; Loeb, Ronfeldt &
Wycoff 2012). Furthermore, Ingersoll (2001) indicates that low student achievement levels could
also be a factor in a teacher’s decision to remain with the same school.
Overall School Health, Climate, and Effectiveness
Poor teacher retention rates have a negative impact on the overall health, climate, and
effectiveness of a school. High teacher attrition rates can lead to significant consequences in the
educational quality, outcomes for individual students, alignment with state-standards, effective
learning tools, and safe and supportive learning environment a student receives (Hahs-Vaughn &
Scherff, 2008). Additionally, low teacher retention rates intensify quality teacher shortages and
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 29
in turn cause a deficient in return on investments for schools (Hahs-Vaughn, 2008). According
to Ronfeldt, Loeb, and Wycoff (2013) high teacher turnover disrupts school programming and
places a challenge on the ability of teachers to collaborate and network with each other. Higher
levels of teacher turnover rates decrease overall average teacher quality within a school when
departing teachers are replaced, as it usually the case, with beginning teachers (Goldhaberg &
Cowan, 2014). Ingersoll (2001) indicates that the influx of beginning teachers presents
undesirable impacts such as repetition of professional development experiences, the loss of
established teacher experience, and burnout of remaining faculty and staff.
High teacher attrition rates also impact overall school health, climate and effectiveness,
especially on a financial level. Schools with higher teacher attrition rates add to the growing
problem of quality teacher shortages and a poor return in investments for schools who have high
teacher attrition rates (Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008). In one study by Hahs-Vaughn and
Scherff (2008), the cost to replace one teacher was estimated to be 25-35% of their salary and
benefits. In another study by Barnes, Crowe, and Schaefer (2007) research highlights that the
cost to replace a teacher in Chicago is $9500 and $8371 in Milwaukee schools. A 2007 study by
the Learning Policy Institute estimated that the national cost of teacher retention to schools was
over $7 billion dollars per year which researchers estimate would be roughly $8 billion dollars
today.
Use of Teacher Mentoring and Induction Programs
One mechanism for combating high teacher attrition rates has been quality teacher
induction and mentoring programs (Brown & Wynn, 2007; Ingersoll, 2001; Thibodeaux, et. al,
2015; Hanson & Moir, 2008; Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008; Rogers & Babinski, 2002; Rippon
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 30
& Martin, 2006; Hargreaves & Fullan, 2000). Quality teacher mentoring and induction programs
can influence teacher retention in a variety of ways including promoting leadership within the
school and the teachers, promoting quality teaching practices, widening teacher perspectives on
the teaching profession, increasing the professional growth of veteran teachers, and influencing
pedagogy (Hanson & Moir, 2008). When teachers better understand the demands and challenges
of the teaching profession through the use of induction and mentoring programs, higher
satisfaction and retention is possible (Brown & Wynn, 2007; Ingersoll, 2001). When teachers
graduate with a college degree and secure their teaching license, they enter the classroom in
some cases, without direct experience or observation of grade level they will teach. Working
with a veteran teacher promotes a collaborative relationship if information sharing and learning
between the mentor and the mentee (Hanson & Mois, 2008). In many new teacher classrooms,
novice teachers are not prepared to deal with all the challenges of the first year of teaching.
Mentors are able to provide the critical support and information that enables first year teachers to
feel more competent and confident in their role (Ingersoll, 2001). Hanson and Moir posit that
teachers who serve as mentors can feel a renewed sense of purpose as a result of participating in
mentoring programs. According to Ingersoll (2001) including teacher mentoring and induction
programs with other factors, like supportive environments, these programs can positively affect
teacher job satisfaction of both novice and mentor teachers.
Moreover, Hahs-Vaughn and Scherff (2008) emphasize the importance of administrative
support and encouragement for participation in teacher mentoring and induction programming.
School leaders need to provide the time and space for mentoring relationships and conversations
to happen. Brown and Wynn (2007) underscore the importance of principal support for
mentoring and induction programs for success in teacher retention. Hargreaves and Fullan
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 31
(2000) posit that mentoring of new teaches will not reach potential unless programs are
channeled with a deeper conceptualization that the transformation of the teaching profession
should be at the forefront. Leaders within the school can advance and enhance teacher
mentoring programs by securing the implementation of team teaching as well as common plan
times (Hahs-Vaugh & Scherff, 2008). Quality mentoring programs with most positive results
require collaboration, robust interpersonal skills, and reflective critical thinking (Rogers &
Babinski, 2002). Rogers and Babinski (2002) stress the importance of structured programming,
training for mentors, time for mentors to meet with mentees, and common planning times
emphasizing that the critical relationship between mentor and mentee will not happen when
mentors have no desire to be in the mentoring role, are uncomfortable with their role, or do not
have adequate training and professional development to be valuable in the role. Teacher
induction programs offer new teachers activities that can increase their decision to remain in the
profession as they are able to develop relationships with mentor teachers who provide necessary
support and feedback
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Gap Analysis Framework
This study employed the gap analysis framework of Clark and Estes (2008) to evaluate
and assess the influences and barriers leading to teacher attrition rates at Genesis Christian
Academy. The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework utilizes a problem-solving
approach by identifying, isolating, and analyzing existing gaps in knowledge and skills,
motivation, and organizational obstacles. Using the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis
framework will provide a valuable lens for uncovering gaps in knowledge and skills, motivation,
and organizational barriers, which contribute to teacher attrition at Genesis Christian Academy.
Clark and Estes (2008) posit that organizational goals fall short because of gaps in knowledge
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 32
and skills, motivation, and organizational influences. For this study, the researcher will utilize
the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework through an evaluation of the factors and
obstacles related to teacher attrition at Genesis Christian Academy.
The researcher will utilize the four knowledge types: factual, conceptual, procedural, and
metacognitive (Krathwohl, 2002) to ascertain the extent to which leaders have the required
knowledge and skills for goal attainment. This study placed an emphases on factual, conceptual,
and metacognitive knowledge influences. Motivation has many constructs; this study examines
school leadership motivation related to teacher retention through self-efficacy and utility value.
Finally, organizational influences and barriers will be examined as they relate to teacher
retention. The stakeholder knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences will form the
basis and methodological approach discussed in Chapter Three.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
Genesis Christian Academy has experienced a significant increase in teacher attrition
over the past four years. Due to the poor teacher retention rates, the school has set a global goal
of improving teacher retention by 30% by May 2021. This global organizational goal is teamed
with the stakeholder of focus goal allowing factors associated with teacher retention to be
reviewed to positively affect teacher retention and increase teacher retention rates by 30%.
Achieving this global and stakeholder goal is critical for Genesis Christian Academy because of
the correlation between teacher retention rates and student achievement and overall school
health.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 33
To meet Genesis Christian Academy’s organizational goal of improving teacher
retention, the factors related to teacher attrition must be understood and analyzed by school
leaders. Knowledge is the first influencer on stakeholder and organizational goal attainment.
Clark and Estes (2008) assert the necessity of knowledge and skills for job performance. In
order to effectively achieve goals, people need to know how, why, when, where, and what to do
(Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark and Estes (2008) posit that as employee knowledge and skill level
increases, the likelihood of achieving performance goals proliferates as well. There are four
knowledge types: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive (Krathwohl, 2002). Factual
knowledge includes the basic information, facts, a person needs to complete a task or solve a
problem (Krathwohl, 2002). Conceptual knowledge focuses on the interconnectedness of basic
elements and their functionality in a larger structure (Krathwohl, 2002). Procedural knowledge
involves knowing how to do something or how to solve a problem (Krathwohl, 2002). The last
type of knowledge is metacognitive. Metacognitive knowledge involves awareness of one’s own
cognition (Krathwohl, 2002). First, the reasons teachers are leaving the school and/or profession
must be revealed. Second, an understanding of poor teacher retention rates must be uncovered.
Finally, the impact leadership has on teacher retention must be understood. Each knowledge
influence is vital to achievement of the organizational goal relating to improving teacher
retention.
Reasons Teachers Are Leaving Profession. The first knowledge influence type, factual
knowledge is recognizing and understanding the reasons that teachers are leaving the school
and/or profession. Although a number of factors have been identified as reasons teachers leave
the profession, research indicates that most leave due to working conditions, lack of support,
inadequate preparation, low compensation and benefits, better opportunities, and personal
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 34
reasons. In general, new teachers are given the most challenging assignments with few
classroom resources and the feeling of being isolated from other teachers and personnel (Borman
& Dowling, 2008). Additionally, the emphasis placed on high stakes testing creating a high-
stress working environment (Thibodeaux, Labat, & Lee, 2015). According to a study by Hahs-
Vaughn and Scherff (2008) over 55% of beginning English teachers surveyed indicated that an
over emphasis on testing, particularly on reading and writing, place them under a more critical
lens making them more likely to leave the profession. Determining the reasons teachers are
leaving the school and/or profession will directly impact the organization’s ability to retain
teachers. Understanding the reasons teachers elect to leave the school and/or the profession is
challenging as it is difficult to ascertain if the attrition is due to one factor or layered factors. If
school leadership does not have the factual knowledge, reasons teachers are leaving the school,
changes cannot be implemented. Once the reasons and factors influencing a teacher’s decision
to stay or leave the school and/or profession are uncovered, steps to meet the organizational goal
of improving teacher retention can be examined.
Negative Impact of Teacher Attrition. The second knowledge influence type,
conceptual knowledge, stakeholders need to understand is the negative impact of teacher attrition
on a student achievement and overall school health. School leaders need to understand the
impact poor teacher retention rates have in order to meet the organizational global goal and
improve teacher retention. Conceptually, if school leadership is unable to understand the
negative consequences of poor teacher retention on student achievement, interventions can be
put into place to increase school support for teachers improving teacher retention. Leaders with
a conceptual knowledge of the impact of teacher turnover rates know more than just isolated
facts like the reasons teachers are leaving the school and/or profession; they understand why
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 35
teacher retention is important and ways to bolster retention rates. Research indicates that
conceptual knowledge enables leaders to connect reasons for attrition to what is already known.
Conceptual knowledge that also generates understanding provides the groundwork for fostering
new knowledge and highlighting ways to improve teacher retention.
Leadership Influence on Teacher Retention. The final knowledge type, metacognitive
knowledge, influencing school leader goal attainment is the personal awareness leaders need to
have on their impact on teacher retention. Metacognitive knowledge is knowledge that is rooted
in one’s reflective thinking (Krathwohl, 2002). When applied to this research study and the main
stakeholder focus group, metacognition refers to the school leader’s ability to self-reflect on what
they know and do not know about teacher retention as well as their own influences on teacher
retention at Genesis Christian Academy. According to Clark and Estes (2008) evaluation is a
necessary key when attempting to improve performance or close a gap. According to
Kelchtermans and Geert (2017) relationships with others in the school environment, especially
supportive administration, are critical with respect to teacher attrition and retention. Possessing
this type of metacognitive knowledge allows school leaders to self-check and evaluated their
own knowledge base for reflection (Mayer, 2011). As individuals, school leadership will be
asked to reflect on the reasons teachers are electing to leave the school and/or the profession.
Table 3 highlights how the three knowledge influences of Genesis Christian Academy’s leaders,
understanding the factors associated with teacher attrition, understanding the negative effects of
teacher attrition, and knowing how leadership can influence teacher retention and the attainment
of organizational and stakeholder goals.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 36
Table 3
Assumed Knowledge Influences on Teacher Retention
Organizational Mission
The mission of the school is to equip and nurture students to fulfill God’s calling on their lives
through Christ-centered education.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention by 30%.
Stakeholder Goal
By August 2021, school leaders will review factors relating to teacher retention and
effectiveness of teacher induction and mentoring program.
Motivation
Motivation is the second factor influencing the achievement of stakeholder goals.
According to Clark and Estes (2008) motivation is the factor that gets and keeps us moving and
predicts the amount of time spent on tasks. There are three types of motivation that present
opportunities or challenges in goal attainment: active choice, persistence, and mental effort
(Schunk, Meece, & Pintrich, 1996). Active choice is simply making the conscious choice to
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type
Stakeholders need to know the reasons
teachers are leaving the school and/or
profession.
Factual
Stakeholders need to understand the negative
impact of teacher attrition on student
achievement and overall school health.
Conceptual
Stakeholders need to know their strengths and
weaknesses related to supporting teachers
Metacognitive
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 37
begin a task (Schunk, Meece, & Pintrich, 1996; Clark & Estes, 2008). Persistence, according to
Clark and Estes (2008) is continuing to follow through on a task even when distractions present
themselves. Mental effort is expending the right amount, not too much or too little, to complete
the task (Schunk, Meece, & Pintrich, 1996; Clark & Estes, 2008). Robert Rueda (2011) posits
additional variables influencing motivation including self-efficacy, attributions, value, and goals.
Self-efficacy is the belief or confidence a person has in their ability to complete a task (Bandura,
2000). Attributions are the reasons a person uses to explain various events and actions (Bandura,
2000; Rueda, 2011). Value signifies the importance a person assigns to a task, including
attainment or importance value, intrinsic value, utility value, and cost value (Eccles, 2006;
Rueda, 2011). Bandura (2000) describes attainment or importance value as the worth or
significance of a task. Intrinsic value signifies enjoyment (Bandura, 2000; Rueda 2011). Utility
value involves looking at the task as having value on future goals (Eccles, 2006; Rueda, 2011).
Rueda (2011) portrays cost value as the amount of effort including time and other aspects one
needs to expel to complete the task. Goals include objectives that people want to achieve
(Rueda, 2011). For the purposes of this paper, the discussion will include self-efficacy and
utility value because school leadership must recognize the value of retaining quality teachers; as
well believe they have the ability to impact teacher retention. By evaluating motivation of
school leaders relating to teacher retention, the organization can assist in closing the gap between
current motivational deficiencies and stakeholder goals. According to Clark and Estes (2008)
when organizations are able to close the performance gap, the ability for goal attainment
increases.
Self-Efficacy. Self-efficacy is possessing the mental ability to comprehend that the work
that needs completed is useful and will assistant in goal attainment (Bandura, 2000). Bandura
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 38
(2000) asserts that those persons with higher self-efficacy are more motivated to persist with
tasks and activities. With higher levels of self-efficacy, individuals experience a greater
likelihood to make the conscious choice to start a task, persist to completion, put forth the
required mental effort (Bandura, 2000; Clark & Estes, 2008; Eccles, 2006). The self-efficacy
theory is rooted in the social cognitive theory, stemming from the individual’s connection and
interaction to their surroundings, which can serve as a stimulus for determination to complete a
task (Bandura, 2000; Clark & Estes, 2008; Eccles, 2006).
School leaders need to believe they are capable of influencing teacher retention and the
factors associated with teachers electing to remain in the profession. Okorji et al (2016) further
posit that school activities are determined and controlled directly and indirectly by school
leadership; furthermore, their integrity, values, communication, and attitudes are infectious and
influence teacher and student behavior. The self-efficacy beliefs of leaders are critical as it
impacts the functioning and mindset of their subordinates (Chemers, Watson & May, 2000).
Studies indicate that a principal’s leadership style as well as their accompanied behaviors have a
direct impact on a teacher’s decision to leave the profession; therefore, principals need to be
aware of the critical impact they have on the teachers they lead. (Thibodeaux, Labat, & Lee,
2015). Chemers et al. (2000) further assert that the self-efficacy beliefs of school leaders are
connected to teacher commitment and longevity in the teacher profession. Teachers, especially
beginning teachers, rely on administrative support to create an environment, which promotes a
high level of job satisfaction (Thibodeaux, Labat, & Lee, 2015). Leadership support is especially
important in high poverty schools as 40% of teachers who decide to leave a high poverty school
cite little administrative support as a key factor in job satisfaction (Ingersoll, 2011). One method
suggested by the research to improve teacher retention through leadership support is the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 39
principal’s support for structured mentoring and induction programs (Brown & Wynn, 2007).
This study will use the motivational principle of self-efficacy to help school leaders evaluate
their ability to influence and improve teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy.
Utility Value. School leaders need to see the value of structured teacher mentoring and
induction programs in order to achieve stakeholder and organizational goals. While there are
informal mentoring and induction programs in place at Genesis Christian Academy, the lack of
structure and accountability of the informal programs could indicate a lack of understanding
related to their value. Ingersoll (2001) posits one solution to retaining teacher through the use of
mentors, especially for those teachers new to the profession. Ingersoll (2001) further highlights
that new teachers having a veteran teacher for support with consistent meetings and feedback has
the potential to positively influence teacher retention. Researchers have recommended that
school leaders encourage teacher participation in induction and mentoring programs as one way
to combat teacher attrition rates; however, the programs need to be highly structured and
consistent to be effective (Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008). Because the current mentoring and
induction programs at Genesis Christian Academy lack the structure and consistency as outlined
in the literature, they are not as effective as they could be for new teachers and teacher retention.
Hahs-Vaugn and Scherff (2008) further highlight that using quality teacher mentoring
programs can serve as the connective piece that enables students of the teaching profession
become teachers of students. Hargreaves and Fullan (2000) point out those mentoring programs
for new teachers will not reach the fullest potential unless there is a deep understanding and
commitment to the program; furthermore, the school must treat the program as a key factor in
improving teacher retention. Mentoring programs that have proven most effective are those that
incorporate critical reflection, collaboration, and robust interpersonal skills; furthermore,
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 40
effective mentoring cannot happen when a mentor does not desire the mentoring role or is
lacking the professional development to be effective in the mentoring role (Rogers & Babinski,
2002). Finally Hanson and Moir (2008) recommend that school leadership focus on four specific
areas for the most impact as it relates to teacher mentoring and induction programs including
expanding teacher perception of the profession, mentoring activities aimed at impacting
pedagogy and learning, professional development of veteran teachers, and promoting leadership
among teachers. To improve teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy, school leaders
must acknowledge the value of a structured and consistent induction and mentoring program
through looking at factors influencing retention and characteristics of successful induction and
mentoring programs. Table 4 highlights the motivational influences including self-efficacy and
utility value will influence attainment of organizational and stakeholder goals.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 41
Table 4
Assumed Motivational Influences on Teacher Retention
Organizational Cultures and Beliefs
Northouse (2015) defines organizational culture as the learned beliefs, values, norms,
symbols, rules, and traditions common to a particular group of individuals. Schein (2004)
describes culture as a pattern of learned shared norms a group uses to solve problems and taught
to new members of the group. Culture exists and is created in places when individuals come
together to accomplish a task (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Clark and Estes (2008) posit
that organizational influences impact performance and goal attainment. The literature review
Organizational Mission
The organizational goal is to glorify Christ through educational ministry by providing a
creative, loving, academic environment for children to grow spiritually, socially, emotionally,
physically, and academically through individual and group learning experiences under the
guidance and care of Christian teachers, administrators, and under the Lordship of Jesus
Christ.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention by 30%.
Stakeholder Goal
By August 2021, school leaders will review factors relating to teacher retention and the
effectives of teacher induction and mentoring program.
Motivation Type Assumed Motivational Influence
Self-Efficacy
School leaders need to believe they possess
the skill set to impact teacher retention
Utility Value School leaders need to see the value of a
mentoring and induction program to improve
teacher retention
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 42
that follows will focus on two factors at work related to culture within an organization: cultural
models and cultural settings. Cultural models are shared understandings of how the world
functions and integrates behavioral, cognitive, and affective pieces (Gallimore & Goldenberg,
2001). Individuals in organizations become so accustomed to cultural models that they can be
hidden and go undetected (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural setting exists and is created
in places when individuals come together to accomplish a task (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001).
Rueda (2011) posits that cultural settings are the variety of social contexts where organizational
routines and policies are carried out. To improve teacher retention at Genesis Christian
Academy, it is critical to understand that cultural models and cultural settings are not
autonomous of each other but interactional and collaborative forces (Rueda, 2011). Table 4
highlights the organizational mission, organizational performance goal, organizational influences
identified in the literature review.
Cultural Model Influences. Within school settings, cultural models help shape the ways
that an organization is structured and it is critical (Rueda, 2011). While cultural models help
shape the structure of an organization, it is critical to also note that cultural models are not static
but dynamic processes shaped by individuals maneuvering daily life (Rueda, 2011). Individuals
become so accustomed to cultural models that they are often unnoticed (Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 2001). Additionally, cultural models can foster or hinder organizational goals
(Rueda, 2011). Understanding the cultural models at play at Genesis Christian Academy is
critical to supporting and retaining quality teachers. The capacity to cultivate and sustain a
quality-teaching environment is not limited by the number of teachers available but by the high
attrition rates of teachers already present in the school (National Commission of Teaching and
America’s Future, 2003). Because teacher turnover results from various organizational factors
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 43
(Ingersoll, 2001), this dissertation aims to explore and analyze the various organizational factors
influencing teacher retention.
Culture of Trust. The first cultural model at work at Genesis Christian Academy is the
culture of trust within the organization. To meet the global organization goal related to
improving teacher retention, a culture of trust must be present in the organization. Higher levels
of trust are present in successful schools and the quality of relationships within the walls of a
school impacts teacher retention (Ingersoll, 2001). Trusting and cooperative relationships
between principals and teachers are vital for school change and reform (Goddard, Tschannen-
Moran, & Hoy, 2001; Hoy & Tschannen-Moran, 2003). In one study by Hinde (2004) those
schools recognized as positive benchmarks for other learning institutions exhibit high levels of
trust. When confronted with a problem in the workplace, teachers must feel confident and
comfortable bringing those issues to the attention of their school administration and this occurs
through establishing trusting relationships (Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wycoff, 2013). Teachers at
Genesis Christian Academy must have a level of trust in their school leaders when dealing with
classroom concerns and issues. A trusting workplace promotes the ability to look at the real
problem and allow movement towards a solution (Hoy & Tschannen-Moran, 2003).
Cultural Setting Influences. Schools include the social contexts or settings where
policies and practices are carried out (Rueda, 2011). Cultural settings are the more detectable
facets of culture, and involve the who, what, when, where, why, and how involving the processes
of organizational everyday life (Rueda, 2011). Settings are the concrete and tangible indicators
within an organization (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). When an organization has inefficient
processes and resources, barriers to goal attainment exists (Clark & Estes, 2008). Rueda (2001)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 44
further highlights the importance of having adequate support structures in place for identifying
and closing gaps and achieving workplace goals. This study will examine two cultural setting
influences to positively impact teacher retention including resources and feedback.
Resources. Since Genesis Christian Academy’s goal is to improve teacher retention,
school leaders must be provided adequate resources. School leadership plays a pivotal part in
fostering school culture (Ingersoll, 2001). Access to sufficient resources is critical to improving
organizational performance (Clark & Estes, 2008). To improve teacher retention at Genesis
Christian Academy, school leaders need to have access to data which reveals influences on
teacher attrition. By providing timely and relevant data and resources relating to teacher
retention, including the impact of induction and mentoring programs, school leaders can make
informed decisions regarding structures and support needed to support teachers.
Feedback. A consistent and intentional approach to teacher feedback is essential for
improving teacher retention rates at Genesis Christian Academy. Feedback involves the
information received to assess progress toward goal attainment (Wiggins, 2012). Research
supports the idea of timely and constructive feedback to improve the learning process for
teachers (Hattie, 2008; Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). Currently, Genesis Christian
Academy has a teacher evaluation process in place; however, it is not consistent or structured.
Some principals provide feedback in the form of face-to-face meetings while others send
feedback in emails with little follow up. While feedback delivery techniques can vary greatly,
research supports interactive feedback between school leaders and teachers for effectiveness and
continuous improvement (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). To improve teacher retention
at Genesis Christian Academy, leadership must provide timely and consistent feedback through
formal and informal channels.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 45
Table 5
Assumed Organizational Influences
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation and
the Organizational Context
The conceptual framework includes the concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and
theories that guide the researcher making up a critical component to the overall research design
(Maxwell, 2013). Maxwell (2013) further posits that conceptual frameworks help a researcher
hone and enhance goals of the research, foster and expand research questions, establish suitable
research method(s), and recognize possible validity threats while providing validation for the
Organizational Mission
The organizational goal is to glorify Christ through educational ministry by providing a
creative, loving, academic environment for children to grow spiritually, socially, emotionally,
physically, and academically through individual and group learning experiences under the
guidance and care of Christian teachers, administrators, and under the Lordship of Jesus
Christ.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention by 30%.
Stakeholder Goal
By August 2021, school leaders will review factors relating to teacher retention and the
effectives of teacher induction and mentoring program.
Assumed Organizational Influences
Cultural Model Influence – there needs to exist of culture of trust and openness within the
school to increase teacher retention rates by 30%
Cultural Setting Influence 1 – school leaders need resources (data and time) to review the
factors related to teacher retention
Culture Setting Influence 2– School leaders need to provide adequate feedback to teachers
through observations and mentoring and induction programs
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 46
research study. Furthermore, Merriam and Tisdell (2016) explain that the theoretical framework
provides the structure or frame for the study incorporating the perspective the researcher brings.
The conceptual framework, according to Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009) serves several functions
including building a foundation, demonstrating how the research study will advance current
knowledge, conceptualizing the research study, assessing research design and instrumentation,
and providing a reference point to interpret and analyze findings. Additionally, Rocco and
Plakhotnik (2009) suggest that the problem statement stems from conceptual framework that
serves to enhance and focus the topic to a detectable gap. Therefore, the conceptual framework
serves an important role in identifying, analyzing, designing, and implementing change within
the organization. At the heart of any organizational change and improvement are the stakeholder
goals and the attainment of those goals is where knowledge, motivational, and organizational
influences interconnect. The conceptual framework model presented in this paper will highlight
the connections and relationships between the motivational, knowledge, and organizational
influences related to teacher retention within Genesis Christian Academy.
Clark and Estes (2008) suggest that in order to remain competitive, organizations should
focus assets on organizational goal attainment by increasing knowledge, skills, and motivation of
employees. The organization and the essential leaders within that organization are key in goal
attainment. According to Schein (2017), leadership has the biggest influence over how they
distribute key resources such as time, money, space, and materials to subordinates; each of these
key resources is connected to knowledge and motivation. Therefore, if Genesis Christian
Academy is going to evaluate and improve teacher retention, the knowledge, motivational, and
organizational influences must work in tandem with each other.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 47
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework
While the knowledge, motivational, and organizational influencers are presented,
organized, and discussed independently of each other in the previous tables and in this
dissertation, it must be noted and explored that overlapping relationships exist between the
influencers. As demonstrated by the literature, the influencers do not operate in isolation within
an organization. During this study, each factor will be evaluated to help better understand the
factors at Genesis Christian Academy associated with teacher retention. The above figure
highlights the structure of the conceptual framework related to this study. The conceptual
framework places the organizational global goal at the top of the conceptual framework as a
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 48
constant reminder of the goal the organization seeks to achieve. The key factors related to
teacher retention from the literature and methodology are included in the center of the figure
demonstrating the focus on the tangible factors for consideration by school leadership. While the
influences on teacher retention presented in the figure are not in any particular order of
importance, they do reveal the commonly cited teacher attrition factors outlined in the literature.
The stakeholder group of focus, school leadership, is also visually represented in Figure 1
highlighting the head of school, principals, assistant principals, and campus director, as the key
leadership team members at Genesis Christian Academy. Also represented in the conceptual
framework is the impact of the KMO influences utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis
framework. Finally, the conceptual framework includes the presentation of solutions as the goal
of this study is improving teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study is to fully evaluate and understand the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences impacting teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy. As
demonstrated by the literature, teacher retention is a problem of practice, this site study seeks to
positively effect teacher retention by identifying, and analyzing the factors associated with
teacher attrition rates. This chapter outlined the body of research highlighting the interrelated
constructs of teacher retention and represented these constructs in the conceptual framework
(Clark & Estes, 2008) which will provide the context for design and methodology described in
Chapter Three.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 49
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Methodological Approach and Rationale
The goal of this evaluative study is to identify and examine the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences impacting teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy to help
improve teacher retention rates by 30%. The analysis focused on the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational issues that impact teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy. The
questions that guided this study are:
1. What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
2. What motivational influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
3. What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by Genesis Christian
Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal teacher
induction and retention program?
Chapter Three outlines the methodological design of this study and details the process of
data collection and analysis. The participation of stakeholders and how they are selected coupled
with the rationale is also discussed. This study employed a qualitative methodological design
employing semi-structured interviews. The ethics, credibility and trustworthiness, and
limitations of the study are outlined.
As noted, the methodological approach must carefully consider the KMO influences
impacting teacher retention. To achieve this, with as much as is possible in this context, the
researcher employed a qualitative approach, which allowed the researcher to focus attention
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 50
specifically on the factors relating to teacher attrition (Creswell, 2014; Merrriam & Tisdell,
2016). Qualitative research is utilized to explore phenomenon (Creswell, 2013). Because
qualitative research seeks to understand how people have constructed meaning and made sense
of their world and experiences (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), this approach is well suited for this
evaluative study. Merriam (2009) describes qualitative research as resulting from the symbolic
interaction used by researchers interested in “(1) how people construct their worlds, (2) how
people interpret their experiences, and (3) meaning attributed to their experiences” (p. 23). The
qualitative approach allowed the researcher to investigate the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences on teacher retention. Specifically, this project utilized interviews with
school leadership.
The conceptual framework includes the ideas, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and
theories that guide the researcher making up a critical component to the overall research design
(Maxwell, 2013). According to Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009) the conceptual framework serves
several functions including building a foundation, demonstrating how the research study will
advance current knowledge, conceptualizing the research study, assessing research design and
instrumentation, and providing a reference point to interpret and analyze findings; therefore, it is
critical that the data collection methodology and conceptual framework are connected. While the
knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences are presented, organized, and discussed
independently of each other in this study, it must be noted that overlapping relationships exist
between the influencers. The interviews utilized in this study assisted in highlighting those
intersecting relationships. Because a key goal of a school is the education of its students, teacher
retention is a critical factor in achievement of the organizational goal. Through completion of
this project, informed suggestions and improvements were made to increase teacher retention.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 51
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholder group of focus for this evaluative study is school leadership. School
leadership is responsible for carrying out policies and procedures related to the school mission
and operational factors. One such critical operational factor is teacher retention. The
knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences were examined through the perspective
of this stakeholder group. School leadership is critical to addressing the issue of teacher
retention at Genesis Christian Academy due to their influence over teachers and responsibilities
for the resources that can be allocated to the issue of teacher retention. And, in order to achieve
the stakeholder goal of increasing teacher retention rate by 30%, policies must support the type
of environment and culture that will encourage retention of teachers. To assist in the decision-
making processes related to teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy, sampling data from
interviews were utilized by this study. To inform policy and improve teacher retention, the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences were examined and analyzed.
Interview Sampling Rationale
All full-time senior leadership team members including the head of school, high school
principal and assistant principal, junior high principal, 6
th
Grade Academy campus director, and
elementary principal and assistant principal were interviewed. Inviting all seven leadership team
members to participate in the interviews allowed everyone to have a voice in this study. Giving
all school leadership team members the opportunity for and participation to offer feedback was
also considered as a motivational factor. The leadership team is ultimately responsible for and
charged with teacher retention efforts; therefore, the leadership team’s input is critical to the
organizational goal. Maxwell (2013) highlights that interviews are useful and purposeful to gain
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 52
knowledge, and Patton (2002) suggests that interviews allow the researcher to gain the
interviewee’s perspective. The researcher interviewed all seven members of the senior school
leadership team based on criterion outlined below. Because there are only seven leaders within
the organization, the researcher conducted interviews with all leaders. Merriam and Tisdell
(2016) stress the importance of criteria-based selection and finding those subjects who reflect the
purpose of the study. The criteria selected reflect the qualities deemed most important by the
researcher based on findings in the literature review. The stakeholder of focus for this study is
the school leadership team, and due primarily to the influence they have in effecting change; all
members were interviewed.
Interview Sampling Criteria
Criteria. Full time school leadership team members at all campuses were the sole
criteria used since there are all full time and the number of leaders is low. Participants of the
interviews are all campus administrators at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels as
well as the head of school. This group is charged with teacher retention efforts at Genesis
Christian Academy. Table 6 highlights the interview participants and their years of experience
with the organization and in leadership.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 53
Table 6
Interview Participants
Pseudonym Role at GCA Years with GCA Leadership Experience
John Head of School 15 30
Peter Director of Constituent
Relations
14 24
Phillip Director of Curriculum
and Instruction
1 20
Matthew Junior High Principal 7 8
Andrew High School Principal 1 35
James High School Assistant
Principal
13 28
Thomas Elementary Assistant
Principal
8 12
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This study used a qualitative data collection approach through examination data collected
through interviews with the school leadership team. Creswell (2014) posits the purpose of data
collection as obtaining information that will help the researcher understand the topic better.
Interviews with school leadership support the goal of evaluating the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences related to teacher retention. Data from the interviews was collected
and analyzed to explore and understand school leadership perceptions of factors related to
teacher retention. The interview protocol, listed in Appendix A, addressed the research questions
of this study. The semi-structured interview with the assistance of an interview guide was used
to guide the interviews. Based on research of Merriam and Tisdell (2016), the interview
included topic-specific and open-ended questions. Furthermore, this allowed the flexibility to
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 54
depart from the interview guide to ask more probing questions as needed for explanation or
clarification. In summation, the data collected from interviews with school leadership helped the
researcher identify the KMO gaps and identify areas for improvement.
Interviews
Interview Protocol
The researcher employed semi-structured interviews with school leadership currently
employed with the school to provide the critical data relating to KMO influencers impacting
teacher retention for the stakeholder group of focus. The interviews with all members of the
school leadership team allowed the researcher to acquire understanding around potential themes
related to the KMO influences on teacher retention while also allowing the freedom to explore
other ideas important to the school leadership team relating to teacher retention not previously
considered by the researcher. Johnson and Christensen (2014) provide a basis for qualitative
interviews for the researcher as they provide the means to gather in-depth information; therefore,
the interview is an effective tool to gather information from leaders concerning their KMO
influences and impact on teacher retention. Interviewing is a purposeful method of data
collection as it enables the researcher to understand the interviewee’s viewpoint (Maxwell,
2013). Johnson and Christensen (2014) highlight three types of interviews in qualitative
research: the informal conversational interview, the interview guide approach, and the
standardized open-ended interview. For the purposes of this study, the researcher utilized the
interview guide approach due to the semi-structured nature with some flexibility as needed
during the interview. The interview guide approach allowed the researcher to begin the
interview with particular topics and questions composed prior to the interview; however, this
approach permitted the interviewer to change the order of questions or alter the wording
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 55
(Johnson & Christensen, 2014). Prior to the actual interviews, the researcher developed a series
of 26 interview questions, see Appendix B, using Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis and KMO
framework.
Interview Procedures
Interviews with school leadership were conducted in the fall of 2019 upon return from
summer break. Interviews commenced in August and concluded in early October before fall
break. This period was selected primarily due to availability, as schedules are limited during the
summer months. Leaders were at the school; therefore, they were more readily available to
engage. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) highlight that the number of interviewees is challenging to
determine and suggest interviewing until saturation and redundancy is achieved; therefore, the
researcher interviewed seven leaders with the caveat of follow-up interviews for clarification or
further probing questions. One hour was planned for each interview; however, interviews were
not scheduled back to back in the event an interview exceeds the set time limit. The researcher
spent approximately seven hours conducing initial interviews with leaders with the
understanding that additional interviews may need to be conducted for follow up or verification.
The researcher conducted interviews in each school leader’s office. This decision was critical to
ensure leaders are comfortable in their interview environment. Additionally, as Patton (2002)
points out that all interviews are also observations, this allowed the researcher to observe the
classroom of the interviewee. Because the success of the study is highly dependent on capturing
the authentic words of the leaders being interviewed, the researcher recorded the interview
sessions. According to Patton (2002) tape recording the interview session allowed the researcher
to focus on deliberate notes, observe the leader and surroundings, and attentive listening.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 56
Following interviews, all recorded notes were transcribed through a professional transcription
service.
Data Analysis
Bogdan and Bilken (2007) describe qualitative data analysis as “systematically searching
and arranging the interviews, transcripts, field notes, and other accumulated materials to generate
findings” (p. 160). Qualitative data analysis relies on inductive analysis meaning that critical
themes emerge from the data (Patton, 2002). Analysis of qualitative data requires ingenuity and
resourcefulness as it requires the researcher to arrange and categorize raw data into meaningful
and logical categories followed by a holistic examination before presentation of findings
(Bogdan & Bilken, 2007).
Once the data for the project was collected, the researcher engaged in multiple phases of
analysis. When interviews were complete, a third-party service was utilized for the transcription
of interview recordings. Following each interview, the researcher created analytic memos
outlining personal thoughts and opinions, concerns, and early interpretations. Once the
transcriptions were complete, the researcher reread and reviewed the transcriptions to ensure
there were no errors. All the names of the participants and school references were omitted
helping to ensure the anonymity of the participants. Many techniques outlined by Corbin and
Strauss (2008) were utilized to review data and develop codebook. Techniques such as looking
at the language, asking questions, drawing from personal experience, and acknowledging biases
helped identify trends and prepare codebook. The researcher began with open coding of the raw
data which allowed for the identification of trend and repetition of ideas, themes, and motifs
(Harding, 2003). To further assist in developing codes, the researcher used the research
questions and conceptual framework. These codes were invaluable when sorting data to further
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 57
assist with analysis. Following open coding, the research engaged in axial coding. During this
phase, the researcher focused on the frequency of codes looking for relationships among the
codes as emerging themes; both NVivo and manual coding were utilized to help identify themes.
The researcher created a spreadsheet with the codes and corresponding influences and questions.
When determining themes in the codes, the researcher looked for a preponderance of words and
phrases mentioned in each interview. Because there were seven interview participants, a
validated theme occurred when at least five participants cited a code, an emerging theme
included at least 4 interview participants, and undermined or not validated was determined with
three or fewer participants mentioning a particular code at highlighted in Table 7. Throughout
the analysis of the data, the researcher kept analytic memos to facilitate researcher
interpretations, reactions, and connections. Themes identified during the data analysis phases
appear in Chapter 4.
Table 7
Gap Data Analysis
Number of Participants Mentioning Code Validation
5 or more interviewees Validated
4 interviewees Emerging
3 or fewer interviewees Not Validated or Undetermined
The criteria for analysis and presentation of findings followed a descriptive procedure for
pattern-matching, coding, frequency tabulation, and information ordering from the raw data
collected during the interviews (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Additionally, Hatch (2002)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 58
highlights a method appropriate when analyzing and presenting qualitative data in an educational
setting. Hatch (2002) argues that a sufficient balance in the amount of raw data included is
important but will vary for each study; enough raw data should be included to give confidence to
the reader that assertions are supported by the data. Whenever assertions are presented,
researchers should provide excerpts from the data to provide a sense of congruence between the
findings and settings examined (Hatch, 2002). Merriam and Tisdell (2016) assert that deciding
on the amount of raw data to include is a judgement call; the researcher should be convincing
without burying the reader in data. The findings in Chapter 4 balance raw data from the
interviews with the validated and emerging themes. The researcher selected excerpts from the
interviews when necessary to support the themes. The intentions of the researcher was to report
findings with credibility and trustworthiness by providing sufficient details from the interviews
which would provide insights about the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
impacting teacher retention.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) submit that valid and credible research hinges of the ethics of
the researcher, and Patton (2015) further suggests that trustworthy data originates with the
fidelity of the researcher. The foundation of this research study is built on and grounded in
ethical decision-making and behavior at each phase of the study. Furthermore, to ensure sound
ethical behavior, the researcher considered several potential issues and researcher
responsibilities. As noted by Glesne (2011), ethical considerations must accompany all research
planning, thinking, and discussions related to qualitative research. The credibility and
trustworthiness of the study hinges on the documentation of the study design and the decision-
making process by the researcher. The subsequent sections will outline the steps the researcher
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 59
took to increase the rigor, credibility, and trustworthiness through each step of the study. These
ethical considerations include informed consent, beneficence, researcher roles, confidentiality,
data security, and researcher bias (Glesne, 2011; Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Krueger & Casey, 2009;
Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To support open and honest participation during the interview data
collection phase, the details and purpose of the study was shared with all participants. The
researcher attempted to create a safe space encouraging participants to feel comfortable to
discuss their experiences.
A critical component of ensuring research being ethical is informed consent. Informed
consent is the process a researcher uses to ensure that participation in the research is voluntary
and confidential as well as the safeguard that the participant can leave the study at any time
(Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Krueger & Casey, 2009). Because this study relies heavily on human
responses through interview responses, the researcher ensured the participants were protected
from potential harm; therefore, a detailed document outlining all aspects of the study was
presented to the participants for full review and signature prior to any data collection. A copy of
the informed consent document used is located in Appendix C. During each phase of the
research, participants were provided, both verbally and in written form, a document outlining
their voluntary and confidential participation. The consistent reminder of confidentiality and the
fact that the researcher has established trusting relationships with the teachers in the organization
help further create a feeling of comfort and openness when answering questions (Creswell,
2014). Permission to record interviews was secured through the informed consent process.
Additionally, all interview questions were presented to the University of Southern California’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval. Data collected during interviews was
anonymous, and interview participants were assigned a pseudonym; moreover, all identifying
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 60
information was redacted. Ensuring confidentiality was paramount to mitigate any fears
participants may have when asked for honest feedback. Any notes from document/artifact
analysis and recorded and paper notes from interviews were housed in a secure office in a locked
filing cabinet.
Glesne (2011) further posits the idea that ethical considerations by the researcher are
indissoluble from all interactions with research participants. While the researcher does not have
any supervisory role for any of the research participants, the researcher is a teacher in the
organization of focus; consequently, it was vital the researcher deterred any confusion that may
result from the dual roles of the researcher. The researcher made clear to the participants
through the informed consent document that the researcher is not in the role of a teacher during
data collection.
Because the researcher is a teacher within the organization, the potential for bias existed.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) submit that the relationship between interviewee and interviewer is
complex because both bring bias that can influence the interactions, and suggest approaching the
interactions with interviewees in nonjudgmental, empathetic, and respectful ways is an
advantageous start to the interviewing process. The researcher clarified and reflected on
potential bias brought to the study that will according to Creswell and Creswell (2018), help
establish honest and candid interactions. The study concedes that the researcher is a mechanism
during the interviews and acknowledged preexisting biases brought to the study as a teacher
within the organization. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) suggest researchers examine their position
or reflexivity by looking at how they are impacted by the research. The researcher engaged in a
careful and comprehensive self-reflection concerning personal assumptions, biases, worldview
lens, and connection to the study. To continuously engage in self-reflection about personal
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 61
biases and assumptions, the researcher kept a journal during the data collection phase; these
personal transcriptions further enabled the researcher to check for biases and worldview.
Third, the researcher sought to maintain and enhance credibility and trustworthiness
through adequate engagement in data collection. Adequate engagement in data collection
required that the researcher spend an adequate amount of time in data collection until the
findings become “saturated” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p 259). Furthermore, Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) contend that adequate engagement in data collection allows the researcher to get
as familiar as possible with understanding a particular trend or experience. While employing
adequate engagement, Merriam and Tisdell (2016) and Patton (2002) maintain that credibility
centers on the researcher; therefore, while examining the data, careful attention was directed at
looking for other explanations. The researcher was careful to challenge patterns and conclusions
extrapolated from the data collection points (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016; Patton, 2002).
Researcher Positionality
As highlighted by Merriam and Tisdell (2016) the researcher and participant relationship
influences the research process. Researcher positionality emphasizes the idea that the research
process is shaped by the way researchers view themselves and how the researcher is regarded by
others (Anthias, 2002; Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). A vast array of factors can
influence the researcher and participant relationship including but not limited to gender, race,
organizational position, cultural background and educational status (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016;
Lincoln & Cannella, 2009; Obasi, 2014). While the researcher does not hold any power or
supervisory responsibilities for the interviewees, the positionality was carefully considered to
help ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the study. The researcher is an insider within
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 62
the organization serving as a teacher for the past ten years. As a teacher within the organization
studying teacher attrition, the researcher must be aware of the bias she could bring to the
research process. While the researcher has held leadership positions at the school including
department chair and serving as the chair of the faculty council, she does not hold supervisory
responsibilities similar to the interview participants. However, because the researcher has served
in various leadership capacities, she has an established relationship with the majority of the
participants. The researcher has served on committees with the participants in the study making
the interview process an easier transition. Through open and honest dialogue, the researcher was
able to discover and examine the KMO influences to improve the performance of the
organization.
Limitations and Delimitations
The researcher acknowledges the limitations and delimitations that may have impacted
the data collection and analysis processes. First, limitations may exist which related to the
transparency level of the interview participants when responding to questions as the researcher is
an employee of the organization. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) highlight the complexity of the
interview process due to relationships. While steps were taken during the data collection and
analysis phase, it is worth noting the professional relationship that exists between the researcher
and the organization of study. Second, a small sample size may prevent or limit the
transferability to other schools. While the researcher was able to interview all school leaders,
Genesis Christian Academy is a single institution which could have the potential to threaten the
external validity of the results. Furthermore, the researcher only included those in leadership
roles in the data collection phase on teacher retention. The researcher submits that a exhaustive
study would also include teachers. Finally, it is important to mention that data collected during
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 63
the interviews did not include triangulation with other data sources for the purposes of this study.
The sole data source was interviews with members of school leadership.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 64
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an evaluative study analyzing the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors associated with teacher attrition rates at
Genesis Christian Academy. Through careful qualitative data collection and analysis using
interviews, the study reveals knowledge, motivation, and organizational reasons for attrition.
Utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) framework and gap analysis model, this study examines the
knowledge and skills, motivations, and organizational influences necessary to achieve the
organizational goal of increasing teacher retention rates by 30%.
The research questions that guided this study are:
1. What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
2. What motivational influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
3. What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by Genesis Christian
Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal teacher
induction and retention program
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholders used for this study were school leaders within the organization. The
leadership represented all grade levels from preschool to high school. All leaders were asked the
same questions outlined in Appendix A. The data collected during the interviews was used as
the basis for analysis for the findings that follow. The interview results help to describe
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 65
influences on teacher retention and knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors through
the lens of the school leadership team.
Results and Findings
The data presented below centers on the KMO influences originating from the conceptual
framework. Each finding is grounded in the analysis of the interview data collection providing a
methodology for understanding the themes that emerged from the entirety of the study and not a
single viewpoint. The purpose of the interviews was to explore and investigate the perceptions
and experiences related to teacher retention of the school leadership relating to the KMO
influences. Furthermore, the comprehensive data analysis approach promotes understanding of
how leader perspectives under the KMO lens remained unchanged or changed through the
process. This section begins with a list of each emerging theme with the corresponding research
question and KMO assumed influence. The section continues with a discussion of the thematic
findings and interview participant insights supported by the research.
Qualitative Interview Themes
Merriam and Tisdell (2015) highlight the importance of assigning meaning to themes
gleaned from qualitative interviews which align with research questions. Qualitative interviews
enabled the researcher to gather data specific to the school leadership and their perceptions and
experiences related to teacher retention (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). Themes were identified
through researcher inference grounded in the exact words of the participants and scholarly
research (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). Eight themes emerged from the interviews; the alignment
of each theme with the research question and related KMO influence in highlighted in Table 7.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 66
Table 7
Qualitative Interview Themes
Qualitative Interview Theme /
Subtheme
Alignment with Research Questions KMO Influence Typicality
(Frequency)
Reasons for Teacher Attrition
Compensation and Benefits
(Subtheme of Reasons for
Attrition
Understanding of
Organizational Retention
Rates (Subtheme of Reasons
for Attrition)
What knowledge influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
What knowledge influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
What knowledge influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Declarative
Knowledge
7 out of 7
7 out of 7
5 out of 7
Effects of Attrition What knowledge influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Conceptual
Knowledge
7 out of 7
Providing Teacher Support What knowledge influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Metacognitive
Knowledge
6 out of 7
Value of Relationships in
Mentoring Programs
What motivational influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Utility Value –
Motivation
5 out of 7
Relational Skills to Support
Teachers
What motivational influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Self-Efficacy –
Motivation
6 out of 7
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 67
Use of Retention Resources What organizational influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Cultural Setting
– Resources
5 out of 7
Consistency of Teacher
Feedback/Evaluations
What organizational influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Cultural Setting
– Resources
5 out of 7
Culture of Trust What organizational influences affect
Genesis Christian Academy school
leadership’s ability to evaluate factors
associated with teacher retention?
Organizational
Culture and
Setting
6 out of 7
Knowledge Findings
Research Question #1: What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy
school leadership’s ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
Possessing the knowledge related to teacher retention influences will allow the school
leadership team to take the knowledge and apply necessary changes to impact teacher retention
and organizational performance. Knowledge is the first influencer on stakeholder and
organizational goal attainment. Clark and Estes (2008) assert the necessity of knowledge and
skills for job performance. In order to effectively achieve goals, people need to know how, why,
when, where, and what to do (Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark and Estes (2008) posit that as
employee knowledge and skill level increases, the likelihood of achieving performance goals
proliferates as well. Five interview questions, in Appendix B, were asked to assess knowledge
influences on teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy. The findings suggest that school
leaders do have a general understanding of the reasons teachers are leaving the organization and
the negative impact of teacher attrition on student achievement and organizational health. Table
8 highlights the assumed knowledge influences. The following section discusses the themes
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 68
identified from the analysis of the data. The validated themes discussed in this section include
reasons for attrition, effects of attrition, and providing teacher support.
Table 8
Assumed Knowledge Influences
Assumed Knowledge Influence Validated Emerging Invalidated /
Undetermined
School leaders must understand reasons teachers are
leaving the organization
X
School leaders must understand the negative impact of
teacher attrition on student achievement and overall
school health
X
School leaders must know their strengths and weaknesses
related to supporting teachers
X
Theme 1: Reasons for Teacher Attrition. The first theme that emerged from the
interviews was reasons for teacher attrition. As noted in the literature and the conceptual
framework outlined in this study, school leaders need to have a thorough understanding of
factors related to a teacher’s decision to leave the organization. Declarative (factual) knowledge
are the basic elements an individual must know to be acquainted with a discipline or solve
problems (Krathwohl & Anderson, 2001). Three interview questions, included in Appendix B,
were asked to assess the declarative knowledge relating to the reasons teachers leave the
organization and the retention rate at the organization. All seven interview participants indicated
salary as a factor for attrition, which is validated by the literature; however, they remained
focused on that reason and rarely strayed from the salary discussion. Of the seven conducted
interviews, only three of the participants mentioned factors outside of compensation. When
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 69
asked the question concerning factors that contribute to a teacher leaving the school, Matthew
indicated his concern over the onboarding process: “I don’t feel like we do a good job with the
onboarding process especially as it related to the culture of our school.” John highlighted the
importance of trust when he said, “every teacher wants to feel like they can be trusted to teach
well without people [parents, administration, and /or board members] breathing down their
neck.” Andrew indicated the burnout as a reason teachers leave “I think burnout and just the
sheer amount of work added each year with nothing taken away.”
While the researcher did ask probing questions about the reasons teachers leave the
organization, the discussion was not as in-depth; the focus for all interview participants was
compensation. Compensation and benefits is a contributing factor for teacher retention;
however, there are additional factors contributing to a teacher’s decision to leave a school.
Research indicates that there are four main factors that influence teacher retention:
compensation, preparation, mentoring and induction, and teaching conditions (Ingersoll, 2001;
Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Rothstein & Rouse, 2011; Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013; Darling-
Hammond & Rothman, 2011). Although all seven leaders cited compensation as a factor,
security of knowledge and a thorough understanding of additional factors related to attrition is
lacking. School leaders need to possess a complete understanding of the reasons teachers are
leaving their positions with Genesis Christian Academy in order to improve teacher retention.
Reasons for Attrition Subtheme 1: Compensation and Benefits. All school leaders
discussed the importance of ensuring teachers are fairly compensated for their work and further
indicated that the organization does not currently fairly compensate the teaching staff. When
asked to share the reasons teachers leave Genesis Christian Academy, all seven interviewees
mentioned compensation as the main factor highlighting a strength of the organization’s
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 70
declarative knowledge. Interview participants shared phrases such as “compensation big part of
retention,” “below market value,” “biggest factor is pay,” “can’t afford to stay,” “financially take
care of teachers,” and “need to make more money.” As indicated in Chapter 2 of this study,
private school salaries continue to be a contributing factor to teacher retention with public school
teachers on average making 28% more annually than their private school counterparts
(Ezzeldine, 2004; Pomerantz, Mooreman, & Litwack, 2013). Beginning and veteran teachers are
less likely to leave the organization and profession when salaries are comparable to wages in
other professions (Boser & Straus, 2014). Because teacher salaries have been steadily declining
and currently equal to about 70% of salaries for other college-educated graduates (Grissom,
Viano, & Selin, 2015), school leaders are accurate when indicating the importance of
compensation for their teaching staff thus invalidating the knowledge gap.
The analysis of the interview data clearly demonstrates that school leaders understand
that compensation continues to be a problem influencing teacher retention. In fact, when
comparing the school’s salary grid to the local public schools, the problem was further revealed
reinforcing the information shared during the interviews. As Table 9 highlights, teachers in the
public school without any experience make 13% more, those with five years of experience make
36% more, and those with ten years of experience make 22% more than at Genesis Christian
Academy. While the salary gap is smaller for teachers without any experience, Genesis
Christian Academy could be losing teachers with critical classroom experience to the public
school system. Table 9 shows the discrepancies in salary at Genesis Christian Academy and
public schools in the area.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 71
Table 9
Salary Discrepancies
Public GCA
Degree/Exp. BA MA Degree/Exp. BA MA
0 years 32,111 35,142 0 years 28,221 30,884
5 years 47,018 50,042 5 years 30,103 32,945
10 years 53,728 56,873 10 years 42,431 45,159
School leaders at Genesis Christian Academy clearly recognize the problem created when
teachers are not compensated fairly and all recognized the need to rectify the situation
invalidating the gap and highlighting not only a strength in declarative knowledge of leadership.
Reasons for Attrition: Understanding of Organizational Retention Rate. While leaders
understood some of the factors related to teacher retention, namely salary, the majority of the
leaders did not have an understanding of the actual retention rates for the organization.
Additionally, of the seven interview participants, five felt the school was better or equivalent
with other schools’ retention rates. When asked the question, “When you consider teacher
retention, how do you think GCA compares to other school,” James said, “I think we are on par
with other schools and perhaps here we are a little better.” Thomas shared, “I think we are
average; we are average in comparison with other schools.” Matthew was unsure what the
retention rate for the school was as he shared, “I think it’s average, but that’s my personal
opinion. I don’t have the data to support that.” John compared Genesis Christian Academy with
other private schools indicating, “I think we might not be a whole lot different than other
Christian schools.” Finally, Andrew believed the school was better than the average retention
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 72
rate when he shared, “Surprisingly, considering we don’t pay folks as well as they should be, we
keep almost all of our teachers.”
In order to impact teacher retention, school leadership must not only understand the
reasons teachers leave the organization, they must also have an accurate picture of the school’s
retention rates. In Chapter One of this study, the retention rates were outlined highlighting that
Genesis Christian Academy had higher attrition rates that public schools and attrition rates have
progressively gotten worse. In 2014-2015, the retention rates for the organization were 4.9% and
in 2017-2018, the rates were 13.6%. Furthermore, within the public schools, 6% of teachers
leave the school for another school (Department of Education, 2016). The interview responses
indicate a gap in knowledge related to retention rates within the organization. The analysis of
the data suggests the while leaders understand some of the reasons teachers leave the school,
they may not recognize the current retention rates indicating a gap in declarative knowledge.
Theme 2: Effects of Attrtion. As highlighted by the literature, poor teacher retention is
disruptive to student achievement and school health (Ronfeldt, et. al, 2013; Darling &
Hammond, 2017; Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008; Ingersoll, 2001). Another theme emerging
from the interviews was a diverse conceptual understanding of the effects of teacher attrition.
All of the leaders interviewed demonstrated an understanding the teacher attrition negatively
affects a school and students; however, the interview responses indicated varied and specific
understandings of effects of teacher attrition on the organization. School leader understanding of
the impact of teacher attrition could be based on the variety of leadership roles represented by the
data. As indicated in Chapter Three, the researcher interviewed leaders including the Head of
School, Principals, and directors of various segments; this could account for the diverse
understanding of the effects of teacher attrition.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 73
When asked about the impact of poor teacher retention, John shared “our ability to
impact our mission will be impacted.” Andrew also highlighted the inability to achieve the
organization mission “if we fail to retain our quality teachers, we fail in our critical mission.”
Matthew understood the toll of poor teacher retention on the students “it [teacher attrition] ends
up costing our students.” Research demonstrates that poor teacher retention negatively impacts
student achievement in the whole school and not just the achievement in a novice teacher’s
classroom (Ingersoll, 2001; Loeb, Ronfeldt & Wycoff, 2012). Research further supports the
negative impact of teacher attrition on student achievement regardless of the type of school
community (Ingersoll, 2001; Loeb, Ronfeldt & Wycoff, 2012; Goldharber & Cowan, 2014).
Moreover, Ingersoll (2001) posits that low student achievement levels could also be a factor in a
teacher’s decision to remain with the same school.
Thomas highlighted the challenge of continuity when he revealed, “when we continually
hire new people, more professional development is needed, and it interrupts the continuity of
departments and grade levels.” Again, only one leader mentioned the continuity within the
school specifically. While this does not show that other leaders do not conceptually understand
this factor, no other participants shared this concern. Furthermore, James brought forth the
negative impact of attrition as it related to relationship when he shared, “We depend a great deal
on relationships at our school as it relates to education and developing relationships takes time.
When we are losing our teachers, those critical relationships can’t develop and everyone loses
because of it.” As the research (Hahs-Vaughn, D., & Scherff, L, 2008; Ingersoll, 2001;
Thibodeaux, A., Labat, M., Lee, D., Labat, C., 2015) highlights, relationships are beneficial to
helping students feel safe, comfortable, and ready to learn making a substantial difference within
any school. Safety continues to be a principal driver for parents and school choice (Jones, 2016;
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 74
Shakeel, D. & Deangelis, 2018). Because Genesis Christian Academy is a private school
depending on enrollment, student safety must be a factor in teacher retention.
Due to the sundry of responses, it was difficult to validate or invalidate the conceptual
knowledge gap. The data suggests that each school leader interviewed had an individual
understanding of the negative impact poor teacher attrition can have on a school and student
achievement, but there was a lack of cohesiveness in responses. This lack of consistent
responses when discussing the effects of teacher attrition could suggest a lack of comprehensive
understanding of the impact of poor teacher retention. It must be noted that understanding the
consequences of teacher attrition is critical for a school to achieve its mission and meet the goal
of educating the young people in their charge. As highlighted by the research of Borman and
Dowling (2008) the difference between a student being taught by a highly qualified teacher and
a lesser qualified teacher can translate into a full school year. Research further supports the
negative impact of teacher attrition on student achievement regardless of the type of school
community (Ingersoll, 2001; Loeb, Ronfeldt & Wycoff, 2012; Goldharber & Cowan, 2014).
Moreover, Ingersoll (2001) posits that low student achievement levels could also be a factor in a
teacher’s decision to remain with the same school.
To summarize, school leaders at Genesis Christian Academy understand the importance
of retaining quality teachers because of the negative impact teacher attrition has on the
organization, particularly students; however, due to the lack of consistency in responses, it is
challenging to indicate the validity of a gap in conceptual knowledge.
Theme 3: Providing Teacher Support. Metacognitive knowledge is the awareness of
one’s cognition and understanding when and why to do something (Rueda, 2011), allowing for
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 75
conditional and contextual assessment (Krathwohl, 2002). To support teachers effectively,
school leaders must possess the metacognitive knowledge relating to their own strengths and
weaknesses. Analysis of the data indicates that in general, school leaders have an understanding
of their personal strengths and weaknesses relating to supporting teachers. According to Clark
and Estes (2008) increased self-regulation skills can improve performance thus helping improve
teacher retention. Aside from Matthew, all other leaders indicated an understanding of their
strengths and weaknesses related to teacher support. Andrew shared his confidence in
understanding teaching pedogogy when he stated: “I understand the teaching and learning
process, and I am able to help others refine and hone in on their own teaching.” Thomas
highlighted his ability to recognize teachers who need help when he shared: “I am able to
recognize when teachers are struggling and I am able to work with them to help them get better.”
Phillip stressed the importance of being able to get teacher buy in when he said, “I seek to ask
questions and seek advice from teachers before a change is implemented.” Six of the leaders
were able to discuss their strengths related to supporting teachers.
One leader, Matthew, indicated a lack of knowledge related to knowing how to support
teachers: “spend more time with veteran administrators to understand the ways to best support
teachers” this could be due to inexperience as he has only been in an administrative capacity for
one year. Additionally, while indicating that he enjoys being a support system for teachers,
James does struggle with providing feedback for teachers: “I don’t feel my gift is providing
evaluation feedback for full evaluations.” While James enjoys assessing teachers through ten-
minute walkthroughs, full evaluations were a weakness, something that he was able to recognize.
Additionally, James does not find passion in full evaluations for teachers, “it’s not what gives me
passion,” indicating perhaps a motivational issue.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 76
Individuals who possess effective metacognitive skills are better able to apply knowledge
acquired in one context to another (Baker, 2006). This would indicate that if school leaders are
able to assess their own strengths and weaknesses related to teacher support, this could impact
teacher retention in a positive way as they would be able to use their strengths to support
teachers. Supporting teachers can have a tremendous impact on teacher retention are critical
with respect to teacher retention (Kelchtermans & Geert, 2017). When leaders possess
metacognitive knowledge, in this case an understanding of their strengths and weakness when
supporting teachers, it allows for self-check and evaluation of their own knowledge base (Mayer,
2011).
Summary of Knowledge Findings
In terms of the three knowledge assumed influences, it is clear school leaders understand
that declarative, conceptual and metacognitive knowledge play a central role in their ability to
impact teacher retention. As discussed in this section, school leaders do have an understanding
of some of the critical factors related to retaining quality teachers, namely compensation.
However, only three interview participants discussed factors unrelated to salary. Furthermore,
the interview data may suggest a need for a more cohesive conceptual understanding of the
negative consequences of teacher retention. Each leader interviewed understood that teacher
attrition has a negative impact, but the group was not united in their responses. This could
highlight the need to develop a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between teacher
attrition and overall school impact. Finally, leaders do have an understanding of their ability to
provide teacher support as part of their role in retaining teachers.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 77
Motivation Findings
Research Question #2: What motivation influences affect Genesis Christian Academy
school leadership’s ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
Motivation of school leaders is an essential factor to consider when analyzing data to
promote positive change within the organization related to improving teacher retention. Rueda
(2011) suggests that motivation is a critical factor to the success of the stakeholder and
organizational goals because of the impact on beginning, persisting, and completing a task.
Clark and Estes (2008) highlight that motivation gets and keeps us moving and predicts the
amount of time spent on tasks. Eccles (2006) posits that many issues can be addressed due to
lack of motivation. Motivation is affected by several factors including self-efficacy, value,
attributions, and goal orientation (Rueda, 2011). The interview questions for this study focused
on utility value and self-efficacy. Value signifies the importance a person assigns to a task
(Eccles, 2006; Rueda, 2011). Self-efficacy is the belief or confidence a person has in their
ability to complete a task (Bandura, 2001). Five interview questions were asked to assess
motivational influences impacting school leaders’ perceived utility value and self-efficacy.
Table 10 highlights the assumed motivational influences. The following section discusses the
themes emerging from the analysis of data. The validated themes discussed in this section
include: value of relationships in mentoring programs and relational skills to support teachers.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 78
Table 10
Assumed Motivational Influences Summary of Findings
Assumed Motivation Influence Validated Emerging Invalidated /
Undetermined
School leaders must see the value of teacher induction and
retention program.
X
School leaders must believe they possess the skill set to
impact teacher retention.
X
Theme 4: Value of Relationships in Mentoring Program. School leaders must see the
value of teacher induction and retention programs. Without an understanding of the value of a
teacher induction and retention program, moving forward will be problematic (Parajes, 2006).
Expectancy value can be a strong indicator of motivation with regards to teacher retention
(Eccles, 2006; Pintrich, 2003). According to the expectancy value theory, the efforts of those
included in stakeholder goal achievement, must recognize the value of their efforts (Eccles,
2006). Hargreaves and Fullan (2000) point out those mentoring programs for new teachers will
not reach the fullest potential unless there is a deep understanding and commitment to the
program from administration; furthermore, the school must treat the program as a key factor in
improving teacher retention.
During the interviews, school leaders answered questions about the value of teacher
induction and retention programs. When analyzing the data from the interviews, the theme that
school leaders clearly recognized and empathized the value of relationships in mentoring and
induction programs highlighting a commitment to the emotional support of teachers. When
asked to talk about the value of mentoring as it relates to teacher retention, six of the participants
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 79
discussed the significance of relationships. John shared, “we all need mentors and that begins
with relationships.” Andrew highlighted the importance of nurturing when he stated, “Having a
mentor to nurture me was massive to my success.” Peter further demonstrated the importance of
the relationship component, “we (mentors) could talk about anything from personal to
professional struggles,” and also by Phillip, “somebody to come alongside you and say you are
doing okay.” Matthew shared, “My mentor made a point to check on me not just as a teacher but
a person.” An echoing theme validated by the interviews was the value and importance of
personal relationships in mentoring. When considering that Genesis Christian Academy is a
private, Christian school, these answers could account for the value of personal relationships.
When reviewing the mission for the school, words such as “loving,” “grow emotionally,”
“guidance and nurture,” reaffirm many of the mentoring sentiments shared by the leaders.
Conceivably, the leaders could view their teachers as their students where they feel a strong
desire to go beyond ensuring teachers are supported professionally but personally as well just as
outlined in the mission of the school when educating the students.
The leaders interviewed certainly value the idea of mentoring, yet go beyond basic
mentoring skills by focusing on relationships. Much of the literature highlights the significance
of mentoring within a school in influencing beliefs, values, and skills of a new teacher (Brown &
Wynn, 2009) and the value of mentoring programs when addressing teacher retention (Ingersoll,
2001; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004). However, there is less literature on the significance of the
personal relationship as it related to mentoring new teachers. The researcher was able to find
two studies which highlighted five mentoring skills which offer emotional support to teachers
(Hennissen, P., Crasborn, F., Brouwer, N., Bergen, T., 2011). A second study by Merlevede and
Bridoux (2004) emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence in mentoring. Much of the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 80
literature highlights the importance of a mentor for new teachers as well as suggestions for
program design. The emerging findings of this section contribute to the growing body of
literature highlighting the importance of personal relationships in the mentoring process.
Theme 5: Relational Skills to Support Teachers. When asked about their specific skill
sets, five leaders focused on relationship building as the skill set on which they rely to support
teachers. Again, when looking at the previous section of this study, school leaders clearly value
the importance of relationships in the organization. John shared how he supports others by
“focusing on the personal,” “relationship building,” and “knowing the person is more than just an
annual performance evaluation.” Thomas demonstrated his emphasis on relational skill by
reflecting on his ability “motivate and empower others.” Peter highlighted his skill of
“encouraging others” to help support teachers, and he further added his ability to “sooth tense
situations through encouragement.” Phillip further demonstrated the emphasis of relationship
building as a skill set when he shared “relationship-driven” with the teachers so he can “figure
out what is working and isn’t working”. Five of the leaders shared that support and relationships
must co-exist.
As the research highlights, teachers cite administrative support as a top factor in their
decision to leave or stay (Hirsch, 2005; Thornton, Perrault, & Jennings, 2007). Moreover, higher
teacher attrition rates are more prevalent in schools with lower levels of administrative support
(Brown & Wynn, 2007). It is evident from the data analysis what leaders focus on relationship
building as a form of support, what remains unclear is the level to which teachers rely on
relationships with their administrator in this organization. The research (Shaw, J. & Newton, J.,
2014; Will, M., 2018) highlights the significance and value of supportive relationships between
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 81
principals and teachers. In one study by Jones and Watson (2017) on the relationship between
leadership behaviors and teacher retention in Christian schools, it was revealed that teachers do
value a relationship-driven leader who creates an environment of encouragement and support.
One unclear factor after data analysis is the importance the teachers at Genesis Christian
Academy place on a relationship-centric leader. As mentioned in the limitations in Chapter 3,
this study only interviewed principals. The research (Ingersoll, 2001; Brown & Wynn 2007;
Hirsch, 2005; Borman & Dowling, 2008) reveals that administrative support takes on several
roles such as support in conflicts with students/parents, having access to resources, adequate
preparation time, consistent evaluations, and having an open-door policy. Because of the variety
of types of support, it would be critical for the leaders at Genesis Christian Academy to ascertain
the specific support needed from teachers. While leaders within the organization believe they
have the skill sets required to support teacher invalidated the gap, a gap could still exist if the
believed skills are not the required support needed by the teachers.
Summary of Motivation Findings
In terms of the two motivational assumed influences, it is clear school leaders believe that
mentoring has value (utility value) and they possess the skill sets (self-efficacy) to support
teachers thus impacting teacher retention. As discussed in this section, school leaders do the
motivation relating to the value of mentoring and self-efficacy. However, what remains
uncertain is the value teachers within the organization place on relationship-driven leaders. As
suggested in the discussion, the organization may need to have a better understanding of the
support mechanisms needed for this specific organization to ensure the motivations of the leaders
align with the needs of the teaching staff.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 82
Organizational Findings
Research Question #3: What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by
Genesis Christian Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal
teacher induction and retention program
Organizational resources are vital when seeking to improve an organization. To improve
teacher retention, it is critical to understand that cultural models and cultural settings are not
autonomous of each other but are interactional and collaborative forces (Rueda, 2011). By
evaluating organizational influences relating to teacher retention, the organization can close the
gap between current organizational deficiencies and stakeholder goals. Table 11 identifies the
assumed organizational influences. The section that follows discusses the themes emerging from
the data analysis. The validated themes reviewed in this section include use of retention
resources, teacher evaluation/feedback, and culture of trust.
Table 11
Assumed Organizational Influences Summary of Findings
Assumed Organizational Influence Validated Emerging Invalidated /
Undetermined
School leaders need resources (data and time) to review
factors related to teacher retention
X
School leaders need to provide adequate feedback to
teachers through observations and mentoring and
induction programs
X
There needs to exist a culture of trust and openness within
the organization
X
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 83
Theme 6: Use Of Retention Resources. When analyzing the interview responses, the
theme of use of resources emerged. As previously discussed in the knowledge section, school
leaders need to possess the required knowledge concerning teacher retention to improve the
teacher retention rate at Genesis Christian Academy. One way to develop that required
knowledge is using the available resources within the organization. During the interviews,
school leaders were asked if they review exit data survey kept by the human resources
department. The human resources director conducts exit interviews when a teacher leaves the
organization. James revealed his unfamiliarity with the exit interview data when he shared, “To
be honest, I didn’t know that something like that existed or that I would have access to it.”
Matthew demonstrated a lack of use of available resources when he stated, “I have not reviewed
the exit interviews. The teachers who decided to leave did meet with me, but I have not
reviewed the surveys.” While Matthew does garner information from teachers leaving the
organization, he could further validate the face-to-face responses he receives with the exit
interview data. If a teacher is leaving the organization for lack of administrative support, they
may not share that information in a face-to-face meeting with their administrator.
Andrew further highlighted the lack of utilization when he said, “I have not seen the exit
interview questions used, nor have I seen the data collected during such interviews.” When
asked a follow up question about whether he knew the data existed, he answered, “No, I didn’t
know we collected such information.” Finally, Thomas also replied “I think I knew that this data
was collected, but it isn’t something I have had the opportunity to review.” While the gap in
resources available cannot be validated by this study, school leaders are not reviewing the exit
interview data; it is undetermined as to if the lack of review stems from lack of knowledge, lack
of motivation, or something else. John did share that this exit interview data is shared with the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 84
Board, but did not reveal why the data was not explicitly reviewed by principals and other
administrators. The lack of review is worth noting in this study because all leaders mentioned
the salary is a critical reason why teachers leave the organization; although there is truth in their
belief, salary may not be the main reasons teachers leave the organization. Teachers may be
more willing to share honest feedback in an exit interview as the human resources director was
not their direct supervisor. Because the data is collected, it would benefit the leaders if they were
able to review this data on a consistent basis to ensure alignment between their beliefs about
teachers leaving the organization and what is revealed in exit interviews. As discussed earlier in
this chapter, stakeholders must possess required knowledge for job performance (Clark & Estes,
2008). By creating a process by which all leaders review the exit interview data, the teacher
retention rate could be improved.
Theme 7: Consistency of Teacher Feedback/Evaluations. Research has revealed that
well-designed and systematic teacher evaluation models within schools can contribute to
improving the quality of teaching thereby raising student achievement (Looney, 2009; Baker, E,
2004; Goldharber & Anthony, 2007). Moreover, many teachers report that teacher evaluations
are not carried out on a school-wide scale and that administrators are ineffective in teacher
evaluations (Looney, 2009; Finnigan & Gross, 2007; Herman, 2005). It was revealed in the
interviews that school administrators are conducting teacher evaluations; however, there were
inconsistencies in how the evaluations were conducted; each sharing their own approach to
evaluating teachers. Matthew shared what he believed as a weakness of the organization when
he said, “One of the weaknesses of our school is we haven’t had an efficient evaluation system;
it’s all been based on whoever is in the driver’s seat as principal. It’s not systematic at all
levels.” There are five principals and assistant principals within the organization, and if each is
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 85
carrying out the evaluation of teachers in their own way, this could indicate a weakness of a
systematic evaluation model as proposed in the literature. Thomas further highlighted the
inconsistency when he revealed, “the evaluation system needs organized; it seems to change
every year with each new administrator or accrediting body.” Teachers need to have consistent
feedback to improve their teaching. When asked to share the tool he uses to evaluate teachers,
James said, “I like to use the walk through forms from the Marzano book.” Phillip, who is
relatively new to the organization, was asked to talk about something he would like to see
improved relating to teacher evaluation. Phillip shared, “definitely the way our teaching staff is
evaluated. When I came on board, I discovered that some teachers hadn’t received a formal
evaluation in a few years; that is not acceptable.”
As previously discussed, school leaders are evaluating teachers but there does seem to be
a lack of consistency in the manner in which evaluations are carried out. Research highlights the
importance of evaluating teacher effectiveness in a consistent manner (Coleman, 1966; Looney,
2011; Darling-Hammond, 2006). The seminal Coleman report published in 1966 discovered that
teacher characteristics highlighted more variation in student achievement than any other factor.
Looney (2011) suggested that structured teacher evaluation systems when supported with
professional development can improve teacher quality. Moreover, each principal was asked if
they received formal professional development on conducting teacher evaluations and all five
principals answered no. Teacher evaluations are part of the job description for principals at
Genesis Christian Academy; therefore, training on evaluating teachers is important. Research
highlights that principals are spending more time in the classrooms than ever before, so the
organization needs to ensure the time spent in the classroom is productive (Superville, 2018). It
is clear school leaders are evaluating their teaching staff; conversely, there is a lack of
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 86
consistency in the type of feedback that is provided. Data collected from teacher evaluations is
critical in helping a school know where to direct resources and set priorities (Herman & Baker,
2009). Ingersoll (2007) suggests that to wholly understand problems with teacher quality and
evaluation, the character of the teaching occupation and the nature of the organization must be
examined for the most effective evaluation system.
Theme 8: Culture of Trust. To achieve the organizational goal of improving teacher
retention, the organization needs to have a culture of openness and trust. Higher levels of trust in
relationships impacts teacher retention (Ingersoll, 2001). Trusting and cooperative relationships
within a school are vital for school change and reform (Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, & Hoy,
2001). An overwhelming theme extrapolated from analysis of the interviews was the lack of
trust within the organization. All interview participants were asked to describe the culture of the
organization. Of the seven interviewed leaders, six indicated an awareness that a culture of fear
and mistrust exists or used negatively-connotated words to label the culture of the organization.
Thomas demonstrated this understanding when he shared, “Teachers are afraid to bring up
opinion; they are afraid for their jobs and the backlash.” Matthew described the culture as
“fractured” and when on to say “sometimes people can be afraid to voice their opinions.” Peter
termed the culture as “hurt and sad,” adding “we’ve had 5-6 years of hurt and frustration.” John
added “teachers feel constantly questioned from parents and/or administrators.” Moreover,
Andrew used the metaphor of a “chopping block” when he discussed the culture and the lack of
tenure for teachers. Creating a positive school culture enables the school to function effectively
at all levels (Habegger, 2008). To positively impact teacher retention, Genesis Christian
Academy must have a culture that is conducive to teacher success.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 87
From the themes that emerged during the interviews, several factors surfaced from the
participants that impact the trust within the organization including lack of voice, feelings of fear,
fear of job loss, and instability in leadership. To improve teacher retention, leadership at all
levels, must understand that cultural models and cultural settings are not autonomous of each
other but collaborative forces (Rueda, 2011). While schools are places where students learn,
they are also places that adults work; however, little attention is paid to workplace environments
(Eklund, 2015). Schools should be built on trusting relationships that enable students, teachers,
and administrators to take risks and make mistakes without fear (Barlin, 2016). Moreover,
Ingersoll (2001) stresses that schools must diagnose and evaluate their culture to impact teacher
retention.
Summary of Organizational Findings
In terms of the three organizational assumed influences, it is evident that cultural models
and cultural settings could be influencing teacher retention. While leaders do share some
awareness concerning reasons teachers are leaving the organization, review of the exit interview
data is inconsistent. Furthermore, school leaders are providing feedback to teachers through
various evaluative methods, yet receive no professional development on teacher evaluation.
Moreover, the most overwhelming theme revealed in the data analysis was the awareness of the
fractured culture that continues to impact teachers and leaders.
Synthesis of KMO Findings
This section discusses results from the overall study, drawing from the one-on-one
interviews. Chapter Four focused on the research questions outlined earlier in the study. This
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 88
research study assumed eight influences that may affect the organization’s ability to achieve its
goal of improving teacher retention. Specifically, this study identified three knowledge
influences including, factual, conceptual, and metacognitive; two motivation influences
including, utility value and self-efficacy; and two organizational influences including, cultural
setting and cultural model.
Many of the influences in this study are interrelated as illustrated in the conceptual
framework each factor having an impact on the other. For example, while school leaders were
able to articulate reasons teachers leave the organization, it should be highlighted that leaders are
not reviewing exit interview data on a consistent basis. Having access to this information could
greatly increase knowledge, motivation, and organizational influencers on teacher retention.
Moreover, school leaders were able to openly discuss their beliefs about the culture of the school
and the impact it has on teacher retention, yet indicated that a culture of mistrust exists.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 89
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an evaluative study analyzing the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors associated with teacher attrition rates at
Genesis Christian Academy. Through careful qualitative data collection and analysis using
interviews, the study revealed knowledge, motivation, and organizational reasons for attrition.
Utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) framework and gap analysis model, this study examined the
knowledge and skills, motivations, and organizational influences necessary to achieve the
organizational goal of increasing teacher retention rates by 30%.
The research questions that guided this study are:
1. What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s ability
to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
2. What motivational influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s
ability to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
3. What organizational culture and context influences impact the Genesis Christian
Academy leadership’s adoption and implementation of a formal teacher induction and
retention program?
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
Knowledge Recommendations
This section provides a review of the knowledge influences from the Clark and Estes
(2008) KMO framework, which was aligned to data collected during the interviews discussed in
Chapter 4. The assumed knowledge influences discussed here represent the declarative,
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 90
conceptual, and metacognitive knowledge necessary for goal attainment. Knowledge is the first
influencer on stakeholder and organizational goal attainment. Clark and Estes (2008) assert the
necessity of knowledge and skills for job performance. In order to effectively achieve goals,
people need to know how, why, when, where, and what to do (Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark and
Estes (2008) posit that as employee knowledge and skill level increases, the likelihood of
achieving performance goals proliferates as well. Table 12 illustrates the list of assumed
knowledge influences and the probability of validation grounded in the most commonly
mentioned knowledge influences for achieving stakeholder goals during interviews and
reinforced and supported by the literature. Furthermore, as indicated in Table 12,
recommendations using theories of learning principles are included.
Table 12
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge
Influence
Gap
Validated
Priority
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
School leaders must
understand reasons
teachers are leaving the
organization.
Yes Yes The basic
elements one
must know to be
acquainted with
a discipline or
solve problems
(Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2001)
Provide exit
interview data and
retention rates data in
summary to members
of the whole
leadership team on
an annual basis.
Increase the declarative knowledge for school leaders. The findings of this study
indicated that while school leaders understood some of the factors for teacher attrition, leaders
need an in-depth and comprehensive understanding related to the reasons teachers are leaving the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 91
organization. Of the seven leaders interviewed, only three leaders included factors beyond
compensation as reasons for teachers leaving the organization. While compensation is a valid
reason for departure supported by the literature, additional factors could engender a teacher’s
reason to leave. Additionally, five school leaders believed the school’s retention rates were
average with other schools. As shown in Chapter 1 and Chapter 4 of this study, the actual
retention rates are lower than the average. It is further recommended that the school’s retention
rate is shared with school leadership. Declarative (factual) knowledge are the basic elements an
individual must know to be acquainted with a discipline or solve problems (Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2001). This would suggest that providing school leadership with exit interview
survey data including reasons teachers have left Genesis Christian Academy and actual retention
rate data will increase their declarative knowledge thus impacting teacher retention, thereby
giving the leaders a more complete and accurate picture. Consequently, the recommendation is
to provide school leadership with aggregated exit interview survey data on an annual basis for
review and edification increasing the declarative knowledge of school leadership on reasons
teachers leave the school. Furthermore, it is recommended that school leadership discuss these
findings with members of the Board to ascertain potential remedies for attrition.
Determining and understanding the reasons teachers are leaving the school or profession will
directly impact school leadership’s ability to retain teachers. Clark and Estes (2008) assert the
necessity of knowledge and skills for job performance. Additionally, Rueda (2011) highlights
the importance of possessing accurate factual knowledge as a key factor in the ability to
understand and function in the workplace as well as the ability to solve problems. Presenting
school leaders with authentic data related to teacher retention may assist in not only closing the
declarative knowledge gap, but also allow leadership to understand the connectedness of factors
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 92
related to the conceptual framework (Krathwohl, 2002). Research suggests that understanding
reasons teachers are leaving the organization or profession is a challenging task as many times
the reasons are multilayered and complicated as the factors have been compounding for years
(Borman & Dowling, 2008); therefore, it is critical to teacher retention that school leaders have
an accurate and thorough understanding of the reasons teachers leave the organization.
Furthermore, Clark and Estes (2008) highlight the importance of providing information and
relevant learning for individuals for goal attainment. This research affirms the necessity and
importance of increasing school leadership knowledge related to teacher attrition factors.
Motivation Recommendations
This section reviews the motivational influences in the Clark and Estes (2008) KMO
framework and is aligned with data collected during the interviews addressed in Chapter 4. The
assumed motivational influences discussed here represent the self-efficacy and utility value
necessary for goal attainment. Motivation is critical when addressing organizational
performance gaps because motivational issues can be multifaceted and difficult to confront
(Rueda, 2011). School leaders were the stakeholder group of focus; therefore, individual
motivations related to teacher retention were considered when addressing gaps and forthcoming
recommendations. According to Clark and Estes (2008) motivation is the factor that gets and
keeps individuals moving and predicts the amount of time spent on tasks. By evaluating
motivation of school leadership relating to teacher retention, the organization can close the gap
between current motivational deficiencies and stakeholder goals. Table 13 highlights the list of
assumed motivational influences and the probability of validation grounded in the most
commonly mentioned influencers for achieving the stakeholder goals during interviews and
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 93
supported by the literature. Additionally, as indicated in Table 13, recommendations rooted in
theoretical principles, are presented.
Table 13
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivational
Influence
Gap
Validated
Priority
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
School leaders must
believe they possess
the skill set to impact
teacher retention.
No No Learning and
motivation are
enhanced when
individuals have
positive
expectations for
success (Pajares,
2006)
Conduct a teacher
survey to uncover
what teachers define
as support;
specifically
addressing the
importance of
relationships with
leaders.
Improve the self-efficacy of leaders. The results of the study showed that all leaders
felt confident in their ability to support teachers; however, as indicated in Chapter 4, five of the
seven leaders stressed the importance of relationships as a critical factor for teacher support.
While the gap was not necessarily validated, the leaders would benefit from a complete
understanding of what support means to the teachers in their charge. To help mitigate this
potential weakness, a leader’s perception of self-efficacy, in this case the skill set to support
teachers, must align with the actual needs of teachers. Positive expectations enrich and increase
learning and motivation (Bandura, 2000; Pajares, 2006). Leaders at Genesis Christian Academy
will generate more effort and further committed to attainment of organizational goals if they
have a complete and accurate picture of what teachers need in terms of support from leadership.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 94
Furthermore, teacher retention may benefit if leaders have individual or department goals that
align with the mission and organizational goals related to teacher retention. Orr (2003) suggests
that what principals believe about their abilities is vital to not only their success but greatly
affects the school. Accordingly, if principals hold strong and accurate beliefs about how to best
support teachers, their self-efficacy can increase (Bandura, 2000). Therefore, it is recommended
that leaders survey teachers to validate their already held beliefs about the importance of
relationships for teacher support. Additionally, school leaders should research best practices
related to supporting teachers corroborated by the literature. A report by the Public Education
Network (2003) indicated that the support principals provide to teachers is critical to teacher
success and retention. Howard (2016) highlights several support strategies school leaders can
employ to better support teachers including modeling high expectations for all, developing and
maintaining strong connections between students and adults, focusing on student engagement
and motivation in the classroom, implementing a rich and engaging curriculum, implementing
and monitoring effective teaching practices in all classrooms on a daily basis, providing data
analysis and feedback for teacher improvement, minimizing disruptions for the teaching day, and
developing strong relationships within the school community. Furthermore, as posited by
Jorissen (2002), principals can increase teacher satisfaction positively impacting teacher
retention by hiring teachers most likely to stay, assigning teachers to positions for greatest
success, limiting preps and extra duties, developing a culture of collaboration through
professional learning communities (PLCs), assigning qualified mentors, and facilitating
professional integration during the first three years of employment. A self-reflection
questionnaire, modeled after the work of Lynn Howard (2016), proposed for use by leaders is
included in Appendix F. Leaders will increase their knowledge and motivation by holding a
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 95
truthful picture of teacher support factors and reflecting on the strategies they employ to support
teachers.
Bandura (2000) posits that self-efficacy helps explain how an individual’s beliefs about
their abilities guide their actions and impacts cognitive, motivational, and decision-making
processes. McCormick (2001) further highlights that school leaders with strong self-efficacy
beliefs constructively impact the organizational goals. This would suggest that leaders who have
a strong self-efficacy rooted in truth can impact teacher retention. Furthermore, Heck and
Hallinger (2010) surmised that collaborative leadership is a critical driver in overall school
improvement; therefore, increasing the self-efficacy of the group could also impact the
leadership group as a whole. Thus, ensuring that school leadership self-efficacy is rooted in
accuracy has the potential to positively impact teacher retention.
Organization Recommendations
This section reviews the organizational influences in the Clark and Estes (2008) KMO
framework and is aligned with data collected during the interviews addressed in Chapter 4. The
assumed organizational influences discussed here represent the cultural model and cultural
settings necessary for goal attainment. Northouse (2015) defines organizational culture as the
learned beliefs, values, norms, symbols, rules, and traditions common to a particular group of
individuals. Schein (2004) describes culture as a pattern of learned shared norms a group uses to
solve problems and taught to new members of the group. Culture exists and is created in places
when individuals come together to accomplish a task (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Clark
and Estes (2008) posit that organizational influences impact performance and goal attainment.
Cultural models are shared understandings of how the world functions and integrates behavioral,
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 96
cognitive, and affective pieces (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Rueda (2011) suggests that
cultural settings are the variety of social contexts where organizational routines and policies are
carried out. To improve teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy, it is critical to
understand that cultural models and cultural settings are not autonomous of each other but are
interactional and collaborative forces (Rueda, 2011). By evaluating organizational influences
relating to teacher retention, the organization can close the gap between current organizational
deficiencies and stakeholder goals. Table 5 highlight the list of assumed organizational
influences and the probability of validation grounded in the most commonly mentioned
influencers for achieving the stakeholder goals during interviews and supported by the literature.
In addition, as indicated in Table 14, recommendations rooted in theoretical principles, are
presented.
Table 14
Summary of Organizational Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivational
Influence
Gap
Validated
Priority
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
There needs to exist a
culture of trust and
openness within the
organization
Yes Yes School
leadership plays
a pivotal role in
fostering school
culture
(Ingersoll, 2001)
Conduct a teacher
satisfaction survey to
identify areas to
improve related to
culture.
A culture of trust and openness must exist within the organization. The results and
findings of this study indicated the culture of the school is fractured and therefore not supportive
to teacher retention. To help close this organizational gap, a recommendation rooted in
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 97
organizational theory is suggested. According to Rueda (2011), the cultural setting of a school
must be understood to provide solutions, which promote an environment where teachers can be
successful. This would suggest that school leaders need to address the existing culture of
mistrust and fear and its relation to teacher success to effect positive change to teacher retention.
Therefore, it is recommended that school leaders conduct a teacher satisfaction survey to identify
areas of improvement related to the school’s culture. Zimmerman (2005) concluded in one case
study that the culture of a school could change when principals collaborate with faculty
members. Moreover, school leaders are responsible for changing the culture of a school (Barth,
2001).
According to Clark and Estes (2008), effective change efforts use evidence-based
solutions and adapt them to the organization’s culture. Therefore, it is imperative that school
leaders have a deep understanding of the factors that are promoting the current fractured culture
expressed by six of the seven leaders. Additionally, organizational change can take root and
generate intended results when leaders focus on the climate of their organizations (Schneider,
Brief, & Guzzo, 1996). It is important that school leaders understand the needs of teachers to
create a supportive environment as school leadership plays a pivotal role in fostering school
culture (Ingersoll, 2001). Moreover, administrative support and a culture that is supportive of
teacher success can lead to higher teacher retention (Guarino, Santibanez, & Daley, 2006). The
cultural setting of Genesis Christian Academy is vital to understand how to best create solutions
to the damaged culture where each teacher and leader can be successful (Rueda, 2011). Thus,
developing a culture of trust and openness between all stakeholders is imperative to improving
teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 98
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The integrated implementation and evaluation plan employs the New World Kirkpatrick
Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) based on the seminal research of Kirkpatrick (1998).
Although the four levels are presented as individual tiers, Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016)
suggest the necessity of designing training programs focused on the desired outcome. The New
World Kirkpatrick Model allows an organization to identify the desired outcome and then utilize
backwards design to implement the four levels maximizing training to produce targeted
outcomes (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). In reverse order, the New World Kirkpatrick
Model comprises four levels of training and evaluation: Level 4: Results, Level 3: Behavior,
Level 2: Learning, and Level 1: Reaction (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Level 4
concentrates on the results of the intervention and integrates leading indicators and desired
outcomes as measurement for evaluation. Level 3 outlines the critical behaviors and the required
drivers to support the behaviors. Level 2 assesses the training recipient’s knowledge, skills,
attitudes, confidence, and commitment for performing the desired tasks. Level 1 gauges the
reaction of training participants. Collectively and collaboratively, the four levels provide an
effective structure allowing an organization to achieve desired outcomes.
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
Genesis Christian Academy, a private, college preparatory school serving a student body
of 1452 students in preschool through 12
th
grade, seeks to equip and nurture students to fulfill
God’s calling on their lives through Christ-centered education (Genesis Christian Academy,
2018). All stakeholders, including board members, administration, faculty, staff, parents,
students, and community members, commit to providing a creative and loving environment
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 99
where students can grow spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically, and academically through
individual and group learning experiences (Genesis Christian Academy, 2018). Genesis
Christian Academy is a private, independent school and the primary source of income is tuition
revenue; therefore, maintaining a quality teaching staff is critical for the sustainability and
longevity of the organization.
Teacher retention continues to be a problem for Genesis Christian Academy with
retention attrition significantly increasing over the past few years. To effectively achieve the
organization's mission and goal of a world-class, Christ-centered education focusing on
academics and remaining a competitive college preparatory school, the school will improve
overall teacher retention. The proposed solutions of reviewing exit and satisfaction survey data,
visiting benchmark schools with high teacher retention rates, and developing a comprehensive
and formal teacher induction and retention program should produce the desired outcome of
retaining the quality teaching staff. This goal was developed in collaboration with critical
stakeholders. The proposed solutions of this evaluative study were suggested after careful
consideration of the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences impacting teacher
retention. Sustaining high teacher retention rates is essential for organizational mission and
vision achievement.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 15 outlines the recommended Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators in the form
of outcomes, metrics, and methods for both external and internal outcomes for teacher retention
at Genesis Christian Academy. While both groups of outcomes are important for organizational
goal attainment, the internal outcomes take priority. As the internal outcomes are realized, it is
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 100
expected that external outcomes will be achieved. External outcomes and metrics serve as the
judge of successful interventions. Three external outcomes have been identified along with the
methodology and system of metrics. Teacher attrition can impact the external reputation of the
school. Since Genesis Christian Academy is a private school dependent on school choice
enrollment, external outcomes must be considered. Through decreased parental complaints
about teacher turnover, the external reputation of the school will continue to improve building
trusting relationships between teachers and families.
Three internal outcomes are also listed in Table 8. The principal outcome of increased
teacher retention is the overall organizational goal of this study. Each internal outcome has the
ability to impact the culture and availability of resources for the organization. It is noted by the
research that some teacher attrition can serve a school well if a teacher is not performing or not
well suited for the organization (Ingersoll, 2001); therefore retaining 100% of teachers is not
realistic. Genesis Christian Academy desires to retain a quality teaching staff committed to the
mission of the organization; therefore, examining teacher satisfaction surveys and setting the
goal of increasing satisfaction by 50% is an important internal outcome. Finally, the
organization will be able to redistribute funds currently used for training and recruitment to other
areas such as paying veteran teachers to serve as mentors and improving the professional
development for the teaching staff. It is proposed that school leadership start with the external
and internal outcomes listed in Table 15 while working backwards to create a teacher retention
and induction program.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 101
Table 15
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Increase the reputation of
the teaching staff
Increase parent satisfaction
survey scores by 50%
Annual satisfaction survey
Decrease parent
complaints about teacher
turnover
Increase parent satisfaction
survey scores by 50%
Annual satisfaction survey
Build trusting
relationships between the
school and families
Lower the family attrition rate
by 50%
Family attrition metrics
Internal Outcomes
Increased teacher
retention
90% of teaching staff returns to
teach each year starting in
August 2021
A comprehensive teacher
induction and retention program
is created and executed to
increase teacher retention
Genesis Christian
Academy is able to
reallocate money from
recruitment to other areas
Recruitment expenditures drop
by 30%
A review of recruitment
expenditures will be compared
to the recruitment expenditures
for the past 3 years
Increased teacher
satisfaction with their jobs
Increase teacher satisfaction
survey scores by 50%
Annual satisfaction survey
Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. As the stakeholder group of study, the school leadership team must
demonstrate critical behaviors highlighted in Table 16 to reach Level 4 outcomes. The first
critical behavior is that school leaders will review exit interview and teacher satisfaction surveys
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 102
to understand the reasons teachers leave or have considered leaving the organization. The
second critical behavior is that school leaders will visit with benchmark schools with higher
teacher retention rates to educate themselves on recruitment and retention best practices. The
third critical behavior is that school leaders will develop a comprehensive and formal teacher
induction and retention program. The specific metrics, methods, and timing for each of these
critical behaviors is outlined in Table 16.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 103
Table 16
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. School leaders will
review exit and
satisfaction survey
data
Matrix/spreadsheet
outlining major findings
from review
The head of school will
request that findings from
exit interviews and
surveys be presented at the
fall board meeting for
discussion and review
Review of exit
interviews and
satisfaction survey
data will take place in
the summer and then
be presented at board
meeting in the fall
2. School leaders will
visit benchmark
schools with high
teacher retention
rates
Informal notes during
meetings with
benchmark schools
Each campus principal
will create a list of best
practices at benchmark
schools
The meetings will
take place in the
summer when
administrative duties
are lighter. Each
principal will share
their best practices list
in July while
developing the
comprehensive
retention and
induction program.
3. School leaders will
develop a
comprehensive and
formal teacher
induction and
retention program to
be implemented in
2021 school year.
Induction and retention
program
School leaders in
conjunction with the
Board, when appropriate,
will develop induction and
retention program
implementing findings in
exit ad survey data as well
as benchmark school visits
Check ins at weekly
leadership meetings
Required drivers. Interventions will fail to produce desired outcomes without a
methodical approach for making certain skills and behaviors highlighted in the training are
rooted into daily processes and organizational culture (Clark & Estes, 2008; Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016). Table 17 highlights the required drivers necessary to help the school
leadership team accomplish Level 3 critical behaviors. The outlined required drivers strengthen
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 104
and support the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences for the school leadership
team. Drivers are categorized into four domains including reinforcing, encouraging, rewarding,
and monitoring.
Table 17 outlines the timing for implementation as well as the critical behaviors
addressed for each method. Reinforcing actions include sending reminders, weekly discussions,
and professional development. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) highlight the importance of
ensuring that clear standards and expectations have been communicated through reinforcing
activities. Encouraging activities shift the focus from reinforcement to proving feedback through
coaching and celebrating progress. Rewarding and recognizing school leaders for meeting goals
through public praise and board meetings and creating an incentive for creating a retention and
induction program must occur thoughtfully so the value is not lost. Finally, monitoring is a vital
step in helping leaders ensure they are performing the learned behaviors (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016). Monitoring behaviors include following the retention and induction plan at
all levels and closely monitoring teachers who exhibit at-risk behaviors identified in
development of induction and mentoring program.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 105
Table 17
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing Critical Behaviors Supported
Reinforcing
The head of school will send out
reminders to school leadership
team and help generate list of
benchmark schools
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
School leaders will discuss
findings at weekly leadership
meetings
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Professional development
training on teacher retention
Annual (summer institute) 1, 2, 3
Encouraging
Feedback and coaching from
head of school and board
members
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
School leaders will celebrate
progress
On going 1, 2, 3
School leaders will coach each
other when issues arise
As needed 1, 2, 3
Rewarding
Board members should publicly
and privately praise leadership
team as goals are met
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Provide an incentive for creating
an induction and retention
program
Beginning of the 2020-2021 year 1, 2, 3
Monitoring
Follow created retention plan Ongoing 1
Closely monitor teachers who
exhibit at-risk behaviors
Ongoing 1
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 106
Organizational support. Organizational support of the drivers illustrated in Table 17 is
critical for goal attainment. Resource allocation is important to the successful implementation of
a comprehensive teacher induction and retention program. Ensuring and safeguarding time is
essential for the school leadership team to work together to collect data followed by creation of a
teacher induction and retention program. Institutionalizing retention policies and procedures at
both campuses will also be important to sustaining success. The process of developing,
implementing, and sustaining policies requires adequate time to ensure effectiveness. Time is
needed to complete review of data, visit benchmark schools, share and celebrate progress, and
receive training.
The organization could further consider the usefulness of incentives as extrinsic
motivation for certain basic tasks; however, all incentives should be implemented after careful
consideration based on employees and research. Pink (2009) argues that basic straightforward
tasks can be successfully rewarded with financial incentives; however, they are not as effective
for intrinsic motivation. When intrinsically motivating employees, the organization should
consider autonomy, mastery, and purpose (Pink, 2009). For example, the organization can tie
the teacher retention and induction program to the school mission helping leaders feel that task
completion is connected to something bigger and they are making a difference within their
school. Leaders should also be encouraged to practice autonomy (Pink, 2006) for motivation as
it makes the task personal. Due to the nature of the organization and the well-documented,
personal reasons people come to work at the organization, intrinsic incentives should outweigh
extrinsic motivators. Over 90% of the employees surveyed through the organization of study,
report the idea of a calling or belief in the mission of the organization when considering
employment at Genesis Christian Academy (Genesis Christian Academy, 2018). Through the
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 107
use of appropriate incentives, which intrinsically and extrinsically motivate, the school
leadership’s knowledge and motivation can help move the retention program forward
successfully. Incentives could include bonuses, praise from the head of school and board
members, public recognition at meetings, and reallocation of resources to support the retention
program, allowing for autonomy for task completion, connecting retention to school mission or
purpose, and encouraging task mastery.
Finally, the organization would be well served to create a part time position to lead and
serve as the driving force in the area of improving teacher retention. Having a dedicated person
to implement and monitor the program is critical to the success of the program. While principals
are charged with the day to day needs of the whole school including teachers, students, parents,
and other stakeholders, this position would ensure teacher retention and induction stay at the
forefront of conversations at all layers of the organization.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Following successful implementation of the recommended solutions,
school leaders will be able to:
1. Recognize the reasons teachers left their position with Genesis Christian Academy,
(Declarative)
2. Summarize and recognize the negative impact of teacher attrition on student achievement
and overall school health, (Conceptual)
3. Identify their strengths and weaknesses related to supporting teachers, (Metacognitive)
4. Demonstrate confidence in their ability to impact teacher retention, (Self-Efficacy)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 108
5. Value the significance and impact of a structured induction and mentoring program,
(Value)
Program. The focus of the training program will be the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences most critical for the school leadership team. The training program will
involve three distinct areas: school leadership’s knowledge of the factors related to teacher
retention and the impact of poor teacher retention on the organization, school leadership’s
motivation related to their ability to impact teacher retention and the value of an induction and
mentoring program, and understanding the organizational resources that can be used to best
support a teacher induction and retention program.
Training will take place in July prior to the beginning of the new academic year. The
training will take place over the course of the school year with multiple stops to assess the
progress of the training. During the training, school leaders will review data from exit interviews
and teacher satisfaction surveys. The leadership team will create a matrix of reasons and other
critical information that will be used to develop a comprehensive teacher induction and retention
program. The retention plan will not only address retention strategies, but also identify
recruitment efforts that will help identify ideal candidates who are aligned with the mission of
the school.
Evaluation of the components of learning. To ensure program effectiveness and the
degree to which knowledge, motivational, and organization gaps have been addressed, the
training program must be evaluated for learning and transfer of knowledge. Formative and
summative learning create the foundation of Level 2 with defined training goals (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016). Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) outline five core components of Level 2
learning: knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment based on training. When
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 109
evaluating learning components, clear and practical application should be the focus (Kirkpatrick
& Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Aligned with the recommendations of Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016), Table 18
details the evaluation of the program learning components. The table highlights the five learning
components outlined by Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) including declarative knowledge,
procedural knowledge, attitude, confidence, and commitment. Through standardization of the
learning and evaluation process, learners and trainers become familiar with key concepts for
learning thus incorporating the five elements of evaluation into the training.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 110
Table 18
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Methods or Activities Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
Knowledge checks during the training with small
group activities and/or discussions
During the training
Whole group discussions During and after the training
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Hypothetical scenarios During and after training
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Small group discussions about the value of
teacher induction and retention program
During and after training
Whole group discussion about the value of
teacher induction and retention program
During and after training
Instructor and/or facilitator evaluations During and after training
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Small and whole group discussions about
concerns, challenges, barriers, and questions
During and after training
Mock interviews with teacher candidates During the training
Team meeting to check in on progress and share
success stories
After the training
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Whole group discussions at weekly leadership
team meetings
After the training
Employ a teacher satisfaction survey to assess
the effectiveness of changes
After the training
Leadership team will be held accountable from
the Board using reports at monthly meetings
After the training
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 111
Level 1: Reaction
Evaluation of Level 1 represents the degree to which training participants found the
training favorable, engaging, and relevant (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). It is critical to
gather information from participants as effectively as possible to ascertain the engagement of
participants, relevance of training, and customer satisfaction levels (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016). Table 19 highlights the Level 1 components to measure reactions to the training.
Table 19
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Participant attendance start of each training session
Dedicated observer during training session
Pulse Checks during training session
End of training survey end of training
Relevance
Instructor observation during the training
Pulse checks during the training / topic transitions
Customer Satisfaction
Informal check ins during training during the training
Reflective survey end of training
Evaluation Tools
Evaluation instruments are used as the initial step to gather vital data regarding
participant engagement, relevancy perceptions, and satisfaction with training at Level 1 as well
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 112
as their reflections upon achieving the targeted outcome at Level 4 (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016). The sections that follow outline Levels 1 through Level 4 training evaluation utilized
during, immediately after, and delayed for a period after program implementation.
During and immediately following the program implementation. Level 1 and Level 2
training evaluations are most useful when conducted during and immediately after training has
ended to capture immediate reactions of training participants (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
During each of the training sessions, school leadership will participate in open whole-group
discussions guided by the researcher. The researcher will utilize topics that seek to uncover
training participant’s perceptions on the relevancy of the training, commitment to the process,
confidence in goal attainment, and satisfaction with evaluation methodology. After school
leaders have received training on teacher retention, a survey will be used to gauge the school
leader’s reaction to the training program at Level 1 and Level 2. A single survey will be used
consisting of questions aimed at each level respectively. Level 1 questions will be reaction-
based while the Level 2 questions are aimed at measuring learning within the school leadership
team. These surveys will take place within one week of the training. Appendix E contains the
survey that will be used to measure Level 1 and Level 2 reactions to the training program.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Approximately eight
months after the training session has ended, a follow up survey will be utilized to measure the
school leadership team’s reaction, learning, behavior, and results related to the training. Eight
months after initial training was targeted due to timing of teacher letters of intent. In March,
teachers provide a letter of intent indicating their intention to return or leave the school for the
following school year. The survey will be given to ascertain the long term effects of the training
in Level 1 and Level 2 areas of the Kirkpatrick New World Model. Additionally, Level 3
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 113
(behavior) and Level 4 (results) are measured to make a determination if training is leading to a
change in behavior, as well as progression toward the overall target. Appendix E contains the
survey that will be used with the school leadership team to better understand the results and
effectiveness of the training.
Data Analysis and Reporting
The data collection outlined in previous sections will have little value unless it transforms
a call to action for change or a success validation tool for training intervention. Training Levels
1 and 2 in the New World Kirkpatrick model (2016) are measured utilizing a survey immediately
following the training. The evaluation of data within Levels 3 and 4 will also be measured using
a survey sixty days after the training ends. Likert scale and open-ended responses will be
examined through a careful analysis of aggregated data. Surveys are in Appendix A (immediate
feedback) and Appendix B (delayed feedback).
Data collected from the surveys will be presented to school leadership prior to monthly
leadership team meeting. Presenting the data to leadership team members individually prior to
meeting will allow time to process and reflect prior to team meeting promoting active discussion
during meeting. Results will be presented visually in the form of graphs making the data easier
to digest and interpret. Through individual reflection and group discussion, training
effectiveness can be analyzed and evaluated. Several dashboard widgets will be utilized by the
school leadership team to track progress toward the organizational goal. These widgets are easy
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 114
to read and will enable leadership team members to graphically represent various benchmarks
necessary to meet organizational goal.
Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016) delivers an outline for creating an effective
method for evaluating training to produce desired outcomes. By starting at the end (Level 4), the
structure of the training flows in reverse order from set goal, to critical behaviors, to learning
elements, to training (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The New World Kirkpatrick Model
(2016) approach provides a cohesive way to assess formative and summative assessment data.
Expectations for the recommendations focus on the combination of the Clark and Estes (2008)
Gap Framework and training evaluation presented through the New World Kirkpatrick Model
(2016).
Future Research
The findings of this study generate several possible areas for future research related to
teacher retention. In the review of literature, little research was found on teacher retention rates
in private schools. The literature did indicate that teacher turnover is higher in private schools
(McGrath & Princiotta, 2006). School choice is becoming a more prevalent factor in society,
and private schools are at the forefront of those conversations, yet little data is currently available
on teacher retention rates and the factors that help retain teachers in these organizations. As
noted in the limitations section of this study, the data collection and analysis process only
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 115
included school leaders. The school could benefit from a more comprehensive study involving
additional critical stakeholders like teachers, students, board members, and parents.
Conclusion
With teacher turnover rates continuing to increase, it is vital that schools understand what
actions can and should be taken to retain their quality teaching staff. The various perspectives of
the school leaders allowed for insight about the importance of teacher retention at Genesis
Christian Academy. The study suggests that the school leaders value and care a great deal about
the teachers within the organization as evidenced by their emphasis on developing relationships
with those teachers. Additionally, school leaders are motivated to improve teacher retention
within the organization as they recognize the consequences of poor teacher retention on the
organization. Through thoughtful analysis of the recommendations outlined in this study, the
organization can use this information to improve teacher retention thus helping to achieve the
organizational mission. Through these suggested improvements and recommendations as well as
a careful review of the current strengths of the organization, students, teachers, leadership, and
families will benefit from the organizational changes.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 116
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Appendix A: Interview Protocol
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this study. The purpose of this study is to
examine the factors associated with teacher retention and attrition at Genesis Christian Academy
as part of the requirements for the research component of my dissertation and problem of
practice. The interview should take about 45-60 minutes. This study has been reviewed and
cleared by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Southern California. All
personal information including your name, other identifying information, and answers will be
kept strictly confidential and will not be shared. As a participant in this study you will only be
identified by a pseudonym. Your participation is voluntary and you may refuse to answer any
questions you do not wish to answer. Additionally, you may elect to remove yourself from the
study at any point. If you have any questions about the study you can reach me at
koett@usc.edu. Do I have your permission to record this interview? Is it okay to begin with our
questions?
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 124
Appendix B: Interview Questions
1. Can you tell me why you wanted to enter school administration, specifically at a
private school? (Ice Breaker / Background Demographic Question)
2. If you have teaching experience, can you tell me how long you were a teacher? (Ice
Breaker / Background Demographic Question)
Transition: The literature indicates that organizational culture is related to teacher retention. I’d
like to ask you a few questions on the culture at Genesis Christian Academy.
3. In your opinion, how do you think Genesis Christian Academy compares to other
schools as it relates to teacher retention? (Knowledge and Opinion Question)
4. What three words would you use to describe the culture of Genesis Christian
Academy? (Organizational Question / Sensory Question)
5. Can you give me an example of why you selected that/those word(s)?
6. In your opinion, what are the biggest influences on the culture? (Organizational /
Opinion Question) (could probe here further with positive and negative influences)
Transition: Now I would like to move into talking about your interactions with teachers.
7. Can you describe your relationship with other teachers? (Organizational / Experience
Question / Metacognition)
8. Regarding teacher evaluation, how do you provide feedback to teachers, and how
confident do you feel you are with this task? How so?
9. In your opinion, what were some of the challenges faced as a new teacher at Genesis
Christian Academy? (Knowledge and Organizational Question)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 125
10. In your opinion, what were some of the challenges faced by veteran teachers at
Genesis Christian Academy? (Knowledge and Organizational Question)
11. Why do you think teachers at Genesis Christian Academy choose to teach here?
(Organization Influence and Experience Question)
12. What factors most influence teacher job satisfaction at Genesis Christian Academy?
How do you know that? (Motivation / Organizational / Experience)
Transition: At this point, I would like to ask you about teacher support.
13. When you were starting out in your career, can you describe the type of support
and/or mentoring did you receive?
14. What kinds of systems are in place to support teachers and can you share one of your
experiences with one of those support systems? (Knowledge Question;
Organizational and Experience)
15. Can you talk about your experience specifically with the mentoring program for new
teachers? (Organizational / Experience Question)
16. What strategies have you found particularly helpful relating to teacher support?
(Experience/Metacognition)
17. If charged to develop a formalized teacher retention program, do you feel confident in
your abilities to do this? What support would you need to be successful? (Motivation
Question)
18. How do you feel your role as a leader can influence mentoring and/or other forms of
teacher support as it relates to best practices? How do you determine what to
improve? (i.e. – professional development)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 126
Closing: Those are all the questions that I have for you. Is there anything you would like to ask
me? Is there anything that I should have asked you concerning teacher retention that I did not
ask you? Again, thank you for agreeing to participate in this study. The information you shared
is valuable to understanding teacher retention and attrition.
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 127
Appendix C: Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research
Title of the Study: Critical Factors Influencing The Alarming Exodus from Teaching
Ranks: A Qualitiative Approach to Evaluating Factors Related to
Teacher Retention at a Private Christian School
Principal Investigator: Cassondra Koett, University of Southern California; Rossier
School of Education
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ekaterina Moore, University of Southern California
Email: koett@usc.edu
Dear School Leader,
You are invited to take part in a study related to teacher attrition factors at Genesis Christian
Academy. This research is foundational and critical to my dissertation in exploring the
knowledge, motivational, and organizational influences on teacher retention. I am conducting
this study under the direction and guidance of Dr. Ekaterina Moore, in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for my doctoral degree at the University of Southern California; Rossier School of
Education.
This form is part of a process called “informed consent” which enables you to understand this
study, the research process, and how your participation will be used.
Voluntary Participation
Participation in this study is voluntary and you can withdraw your involvement at any time.
Please take as much time as you need with the consent form. Please read the information
carefully asking questions about anything you do not understand before deciding whether to
participate in the study. There will be no penalty if you choose not to participate or discontinue
participation.
Please Be Assured:
There is no professional risk for participation
All information obtained during this study will be securely maintained to ensure
confidentiality and anonymity
Upon completion of the study all data will be deleted
Analysis and reporting of findings will done in a way that the identity of all participants
will be unidentifiable (all participants will be assigned a pseudonym)
Your decision to participate, not participate, or withdraw from the study will have no
effect on hiring, promotion, performance evaluation, or other employment compensation
and benefits
Purpose of Study:
To gain insight into the factors and reasons teacher remain teaching or decide to leave
Genesis Christian Academy
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 128
To help improve school practices related to teacher retention in K-12 grades
Potential Benefits of the Study:
By participating in the study, you will directly influencing the practices related to
teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy
By participating in the study, you are improving the workplace, specifically those
related to teacher job satisfaction, as they related to teacher retention at Genesis
Christian Academy
By participating in this study, you are helping inform school leadership concerning
teacher retention at Genesis Christian Academy
Methods Used to Meet Purpose:
Analysis of exit interviews with teachers who have left Genesis Christian Academy
One-on-one interviews with teachers in grades K-12
Protection of Privacy and Confidentiality
The study is designed to protect your privacy and any identifying information such as your name,
grade level, content area or department will be removed. Your responses to the interview
questions will remain anonymous. Your answered will be transcribed but all identifying
information will be excluded from the transcription. The researcher may request a follow up
interview based on your consent and willingness to participate. Information in that follow up
interview will also not contain any identifying factors in order to protect your privacy and
confidentiality.
If you have any questions about your rights while taking part in this study or you have concerns
or suggestions and want to talk with someone other than the researcher, you can contact the
University of Southern California University Park Institutional Review Board at 213-821-5272
or email at upirb@usc.edu.
By clicking the “consent” button below, you acknowledge that your participation in the study is
voluntary and that you are aware that you may elect to end your participation in the study at any
time and for any reason.
If you choose to participate in the interview, you will be directed to a calendar link
where you will be asked to selected a convenient date and time for your interview
If you do not wish to participate, you may ignore this email
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Cordially,
Cassondra Koett
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 129
Appendix D: Instrument Alignment Table
Research Questions:
1. What knowledge influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s ability
to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
2. What motivational influences affect Genesis Christian Academy school leadership’s ability
to evaluate factors associated with teacher retention?
3. What organizational culture and context influences, perceived by Genesis Christian
Academy leadership, impact the adoption and implementation of a formal teacher
induction and retention program?
Organizational Mission
The organizational goal is to glorify Christ through educational ministry by providing a creative,
loving, academic environment for children to grow spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically, and
academically through individual and group learning experiences under the guidance and care of
Christian teachers, administrators, and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, Genesis Christian Academy will increase teacher retention by 30%.
Stakeholder Goal
By August 2021, school leaders will review factors relating to teacher retention and the effectives of
teacher induction and mentoring program.
KMO Constructs Gap Analysis
Influence
Assessment Source
Reasons for teacher
attrition
Knowledge –
factual
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
Negative impact of
teacher attrition
Knowledge –
conceptual
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
Impact of leadership on
teacher retention
Knowledge –
conceptual
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
School leaders need to
believe they are capable
of influencing teacher
retention
Motivation – self
efficacy
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
School leaders need to
see the value of a
mentoring and
induction program to
Motivation – utility
value
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 130
improve teacher
retention
There needs to exist of
culture of trust and
openness within the
school to increase
teacher retention rates
by 30%
Cultural model
influence
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
School leaders need
resources (data and
time) to review the
factors related to
teacher retention
Cultural setting E
Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
School leaders need to
provide adequate
feedback to teachers
through observations
and mentoring and
induction programs
Cultural setting Face-to-Face
Interview
Self-authored
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 131
Appendix E: Teacher Retention Training Survey
Modelled on the New World Level 1 and Level 2 Reaction Sheets (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016) to be given immediately after the training.
1. I was well engaged during the training session. (Level 1 – Engagement)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
2. I was comfortable with the pacing of the program (Level 1 – Customer Satisfaction)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
3. I was given adequate opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge (Level 1 – Relevance)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
4. I will be able to apply what I learned during the training to the task of developing a
teacher induction and retention program. (Level 1 – Relevance)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
5. I was given ample opportunity to receive answers to my questions. (Level 1 –
Engagement)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
6. Overall, I was pleased with the training session. (Level 1 – Customer Satisfaction)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
7. I can identify retention factors that lead to longevity at Genesis Christian Academy.
(Level 2 – Declarative Knowledge)
a. Strongly agree
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 132
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
8. Overall, I have confidence in my ability to develop a teacher induction and retention
program. (Level 2 – Confidence)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
9. Overall, I have confidence in my ability to implement a teacher induction and retention
program. (Level 2 – Confidence)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
10. After the training, I feel that improving teacher retention is a worthwhile endeavor.
(Level 2 – Attitude)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
11. After the training, I will implement the teacher induction and retention program. (Level 2
– Commitment)
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
12. Additional comments I have about the training:
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 133
Teacher Retention Training Survey
Modelled on the New World Level 1 and Level 2 Reaction Sheets (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016) to be given 8 months after the training.
1. I believe the training was a good use of my time. (Level 1 – Reaction)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
2. Would you recommend this training to others in your position at Genesis Christian
Academy? (Level 1 – Reaction)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
3. I can identify factors that lead to teacher longevity at Genesis Christian Academy (Level
2 – Learning)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
4. How would you rate your knowledge on developing a teacher induction and retention
program after the training on a scale of 1 – 10 (1 = low knowledge and 10 = high
knowledge) (Level 2 – Learning) _______________
5. I have developed and started to implement a faculty induction and retention program
based on the teacher retention factors I learned in the training (Level 3 – Behavior)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
6. I have felt supported and motivated to use the new skills I learned in the training (Level 3
– Behavior)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
7. I am seeing positive results in my performance as a school leader as a result of the
training I received. (Level 4 – Results)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 134
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
8. There are noticeable changes in school leadership team performance post-training. (Level
4 – Results)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
9. I am able to predict with confidence the number of teachers leaving and returning for the
upcoming school year. (Level 4 – Result)
a. Strongly Agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Neither agree or disagree
d. Somewhat disagree
e. Strongly disagree
10. Are there any obstacles or barriers preventing you from using what you learned
efficiently? (Level 3 – Behavior)
11. In what areas have you improved most as a school leader since the training? (Level 4 –
Results)
12. In what areas has the school leadership team improved most since the training? (Level 4
– Results)
TEACHER ATTRITION FACTORS 135
Appendix F: Leadership Self Reflection Questionnaire
Reflective Question My Strengths My Challenges My Strategies
How do I let my teachers know that
I am part of their instructional team?
How do I practice effective listening
skills?
How do I evaluate all sides of a
situation before making a decision?
In what ways do I promote an open-
door policy?
Do I remember being a teacher?
What connections with people do I
make every day?
How do I value everyone in my
school?
How often do I say thank you?
How do I promote collaboration in
my school?
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
Considerable research has been conducted on teacher attrition and best practices related to retaining teachers. Researchers agree that the growing teacher attrition rates continue to be a problem of significance. Consequences for growing teacher attrition rates are far reaching including factors such as student achievement rates to significant financial costs for schools and communities. While there exists an expansive amount of studies on public schools and teacher retention, less research exists on the private school sector. This evaluative study is an examination of an independent school in the Southern Midwest and the factors leading to teacher attrition. The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluative study analyzing the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors associated with teacher retention rates. Utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) framework and gap analysis model, this study examined the knowledge and skills, motivations, and organizational influences necessary to achieve the organizational goal of increasing teacher retention rates by 30%. Interviews with school leaders were conducted to reveal these influences. Recommendations to moderate and lessen teacher attrition are provided. The researcher used the New World Kirkpatrick Model was utilized to assess and value the recommendations-based interventions.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Koett, Cassondra Rae
(author)
Core Title
Critical factors impacting the exodus from teaching ranks: an evaluative study of an independent Christian school
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)
Publication Date
03/31/2020
Defense Date
03/04/2020
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
OAI-PMH Harvest,teacher retention
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Moore, Ekaterina (
committee chair
), Brady, Melanie (
committee member
), Ferrario, Kimberly (
committee member
)
Creator Email
cassondra.koett@gmail.com,koett@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-278534
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Koett, Cassondra Rae
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teacher retention