Browsing by Subject "Teacher attrition"
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Item A comparative case study of the principal's role in new teacher induction(2005-12) Wischkaemper, Kay L.; Klinker, JoAnn F.; Price, Margaret A.; Hannel, DubThe purpose of this study was to examine the role of the principal in new teacher induction programs and how moral leadership and socio-economic status impact that role. The role of the principal was examined from the perspectives of principals, beginning teachers, and the local new teacher induction program. This study was guided by two primary research questions: What is the role of the principal in new teacher induction? How does this role differ, if in any way, in low versus high socio-economic schools? Moral leadership served as the theoretical foundation of the study. A review of the literature focused on components of new teacher induction and how the role of the principal in new teacher induction is impacted by moral leadership and socio-economic status of the school. Interviews with principals and beginning teachers served as primary data sources, while the local new teacher induction program provided an additional perspective. Participants consisted of one principal from an upper-income elementary school, one principal from a low-income elementary school, and three beginning teachers with one to three years of experience. The data was structured by using the constant comparison method. Categories were coded and compared to determine emerging themes in the data. The data revealed that the principal from the low-income school took on a professional role in new teacher induction while the principal from the upper-income school took on a personal role in new teacher induction. Moral leadership did not represent a significant impact on their leadership style, particularly with beginning teachers. The significance of this study to the field of educational leadership lies in the deeper understanding of the principal’s role in new teacher induction at schools regardless of socio-economic status.Item A comparative case study of the principal's role in new teacher induction(Texas Tech University, 2005-12) Wischkaemper, Kay L.; Klinker, JoAnn F.; Price, Margaret A.; Hannel, DubThe purpose of this study was to examine the role of the principal in new teacher induction programs and how moral leadership and socio-economic status impact that role. The role of the principal was examined from the perspectives of principals, beginning teachers, and the local new teacher induction program. This study was guided by two primary research questions: What is the role of the principal in new teacher induction? How does this role differ, if in any way, in low versus high socio-economic schools? Moral leadership served as the theoretical foundation of the study. A review of the literature focused on components of new teacher induction and how the role of the principal in new teacher induction is impacted by moral leadership and socio-economic status of the school. Interviews with principals and beginning teachers served as primary data sources, while the local new teacher induction program provided an additional perspective. Participants consisted of one principal from an upper-income elementary school, one principal from a low-income elementary school, and three beginning teachers with one to three years of experience. The data was structured by using the constant comparison method. Categories were coded and compared to determine emerging themes in the data. The data revealed that the principal from the low-income school took on a professional role in new teacher induction while the principal from the upper-income school took on a personal role in new teacher induction. Moral leadership did not represent a significant impact on their leadership style, particularly with beginning teachers. The significance of this study to the field of educational leadership lies in the deeper understanding of the principal’s role in new teacher induction at schools regardless of socio-economic status.Item Do I stay or do I go? A mixed-methods study of factors of attrition as reported by leavers of secondary agriculture programs(2013-05) Lemons, Laura L.; Brashears, Michael T.; Burris, Scott; Meyers, Courtney; Price, Margaret A.Agricultural education has experienced a perpetual shortage of qualified agriculture teachers in secondary classrooms for decades. Teacher attrition has been identified as a contributing factor. This two-phase exploratory mixed-methods study sought to deepen the knowledge base regarding secondary agriculture teacher attrition. The first phase of this study was a qualitative case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with former secondary agriculture teachers in order to describe how they characterized their experience teaching agriculture and determine the reasons they perceived for exiting the profession. Data from the interviews was analyzed and used to develop an attrition risk assessment instrument, which was pilot tested to establish validity and reliability during the second phase of the study.Item An exploratory study of teacher retention using data mining(2014-05) Krause, Gladys Helena; Marshall, Jill Ann; Carmona Domínguez, Guadalupe de la PazThe object of this investigation is to report a study of mathematics teacher retention in the Texas Education System by generating a model that allows the identification of crucial factors that are associated with teacher retention in their profession. This study answers the research question: given a new mathematics teacher with little or no service in the Texas Education System, how long might one expect her to remain in the system? The basic categories, used in this study to describe teacher retention are: long term (10 and more years of service), medium term (5 to 9 years of service), and short term (1 to 4 years of service). The research question is addressed by generating a model through data mining techniques and using teacher data and variables from the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) that allows a descriptive identification of those factors that are crucial in teacher retention. Research on mathematics teacher turnover in Texas has not yet focused on teacher characteristics. The literature review presented in this investigation shows that teacher characteristics are important in studying factors that may influence teachers' decisions to stay or to leave the system. This study presents the field of education, and the state of Texas, with an opportunity to isolate those crucial factors that keep mathematics teachers from leaving the teaching profession, which has the potential to inform policy makers and other educators when making decisions that could have an impact on teacher retention. Also, the methodology applied, data mining, allows this study to take full advantage of a collection of valuable resources provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), which has not yet been used to study the phenomenon of teacher retention.Item Investigating the Distribution of Teacher Quality by Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status of Students by School in One Large School District(2012-07-16) McGlohn, RobinThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher quality variables, student demographic variables, and student performance in order to determine the influence teacher quality variables have on student performance in one large school district. The population for this study included 69 schools during the 2007-2008 school year within one large suburban school district. Included in this study were 47 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, and 8 high schools. In this three-phased study, descriptive correlations were examined, t-tests were conducted comparing each of the variable sets, and partial correlations were conducted in order to determine the strength of associations between teacher quality variables and student performance variables. Findings from this study showed several strong and significant associations. When comparing the highest and lowest quartile of schools based on average years of teaching experience, percentage of within-district transfers, and total teacher mobility, there was a significant difference seen in both the percentage of economically disadvantaged (ED) students and percentage of African American and Hispanic students combined. Further analysis showed a significant difference between the top and bottom quartiles of percentage of ED students and percentage of African American and Hispanic students combined and their performance in both math and reading. Findings showed that teaching experience was negatively associated with student performance in reading and math, however, there was a smaller association in math. Controlling for within-district teacher transfers had a small to medium association between African American and Hispanic students combined and commended performance or meeting standard in math and reading. When controlling for percentages of total teacher mobility (leavers + movers) from campuses, there was a strong negative, partial correlation between percentage of ED students and performance in math (commended only) and reading. Implications for practitioners include the need to improve school leadership, improve working conditions, provide more and better professional support, create incentives to work in challenging schools, improve preparation for work in challenging schools, streamline hiring placement policies, create a coherent set of policies to close the staffing gap, and provide greater funding targeted to student needs.Item Migration and attrition patterns of Texas secondary science teachers(2012-05) Mount, Jennifer Daniele'; Marshall, Jill Ann; Petrosino, Anthony; Galloway, Heather; Carmona, Lupita; Fuller, EdwardThe focus of this research is to investigate teacher turnover in the form of attrition and migration of secondary science teachers in the state of Texas. This study is to fill the gap in the research pertaining to the relationship of teacher migration and attrition to secondary science teacher qualifications and school characteristics in order to assist stakeholders in developing more effective policies and programs aimed at providing all students with a qualified science educator. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine whether Texas secondary science teachers are migrating and if so, identify schools the teachers are migrating from and to, and 2) determine characteristics of the teachers who migrate or leave teaching by discipline taught, route of certification, years of service and in-field and out-of-field status. This study utilized quantitative research methods, specifically, descriptive statistics displayed as percentages and trends indicated by a novel data representation using vectors. The data used in the study were extracted from the Public Education Information Management Systems (PEIMS) data from the Texas Education Agency and the teacher certification records from the State Board for Educator Certification from 1995 - 2008. After the quantitative results and vector plots were analyzed, the results revealed that a fifth of Texas secondary science teachers are migrating between schools each year. Texas secondary science teachers of lower socio-economical status schools migrated to higher SES schools, while teachers of the highest socio-economical status schools migrated to a lower SES school. Other findings include a high percentage of incoming Texas secondary science teachers are not certified or alternatively certified. The analysis of the Texas secondary teachers showed which teachers are leaving or migrating from certain schools. It can help districts and policy makers to have equity in schools with quality teachers. Since the study used individual teacher and school data, the results can provide valuable information to school leaders, school district leaders, and policy makers at the local and state level as decisions are made regarding the implementation of policies and administrative actions intended to increase teacher retention.Item Staying in the profession: A study of five public school orchestra teachers(2012-12) Neal, Kimberly B.; Dye, Keith; Killian, Janice; Martens, PeterThe purpose of this study is to identify reasons why five Texas public school orchestra directors have decided to stay in the teaching profession. Extant research indicates that approximately half of all orchestra teachers nationwide leave the profession within five years. Furthermore, research has primarily focused on why teachers leave, rather than why others stay. This study is designed to be a proactive approach in finding out why certain orchestra teachers not only remain in the field, but seem to thrive. Using a qualitative approach of data gathering and analysis, participants with seven to fifteen years of experience were both interviewed and observed in class. Interview questions were developed based on historic issues in teacher retention, including administrative support, compensation, student behavior, school facilities and resources, and pre-service teacher training. Participant responses were examined for positive factors that aided in their decisions to remain in the profession. While there were responses that shed light on the challenges orchestra teachers face, participants also shared multiple factors that motivate them to continue in their chosen profession. These include setting and achieving goals, experiencing the intrinsic rewards of music, rich connections with students, and enjoying solid community and administrative support. In addition, certain teacher characteristics emerged among the participants, such as individual determination and perseverance, optimism, creativity, and a desire to improve as educators. This less common look at reasons why orchestra teachers stay in the field may serve to aid teachers as they decide whether or not to continue in the profession, as well as helping teacher educators and administrators retain public school orchestra teachers.Item The Novice Teacher's Experience in Sensemaking and Socialization in Urban Secondary Schools(2010-10-12) Berry, Joan RameyTeacher attrition is costly for districts, both financially and in terms of student achievement. Districts often address teacher attrition by focusing on recruitment practices or by offering induction support for novice teachers. However, new teachers continue to leave the profession at alarming rates. This qualitative case study provides insight into how new teachers cope with the frustrations and challenges of entry-level teaching. The study examines the entry-level experiences of twelve novice teachers from urban secondary schools, including the perceptions of teaching they developed prior to entry, the aspects of teaching they found most frustrating, how they made sense of what was happening to them, and how they adapted their own behaviors in response to what they experienced. Viewed within a theoretical framework for examining the "newcomer experience" developed by Meryl Reis Louis in 1980, the data suggest that traditional group approaches to supporting novices fail to address the highly individual way in which newcomers "make sense" of teaching as they progress through a series of stages from anticipation through adaptation. From the data, implications may be drawn in terms of "what matters" in the design of support systems for new teachers.