Strategies used to Retain Teachers in Hard to Staff Schools

Strategies used to Retain Teachers in Hard to Staff Schools by Levi Shavers, Jr. MSE, University of Central Arkansas, 1997 BA, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 1983 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning Walden University June 2018 Abstract Teacher attrition has serious consequences in hard to staff schools. Mostly poor and ethnic minority students are deprived of being taught by stable, experienced teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies used to effectively retain teachers in such schools through the perspective of teachers at a high school that comprises poor and ethnic minority students in southwest Georgia. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Chen’s theory about race and social class which postulated that aTeacher attrition has serious consequences in hard to staff schools. Mostly poor and ethnic minority students are deprived of being taught by stable, experienced teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies used to effectively retain teachers in such schools through the perspective of teachers at a high school that comprises poor and ethnic minority students in southwest Georgia. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Chen’s theory about race and social class which postulated that a high percentage of poor ethnic minority students results in low teacher morale. This study explored the reasons why teachers stay at a school where there is a high proportion of poor and ethnic minority students. In this research, the case study strategy of inquiry was employed and data were collected from interviews with 10 teachers (using a 16question interview guide) to solicit their perspectives on the working conditions at their school. The data were then examined for patterns and themes in the text. The findings produced 4 consolidated themes that revealed (a) aspects of a successful environment created by the principal; (b) an effective mentoring program that was aimed at assisting, developing, and supporting new and inexperienced teachers; (c) good parental involvement where parents were enthusiastic about supporting the school and their child’s educational progress; and (d) stable and charismatic leadership that promoted retention. If implemented at hard to staff schools, these best practices can lead to improved teacher morale, better prepared teachers, and higher student achievement. Strategies used to Retain Teachers in Hard to Staff Schools by Levi Shavers, Jr. MSE, University of Central Arkansas, 1997 BA, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 1983 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning Walden University June 2018 Dedication I, Levi Shavers, Jr., dedicate this Doctor of Education degree to the Lord Almighty and to the ones that I love so dearly my parents (Levi and Annie), my sister (Sandra) and her family, and my two brothers (James and Carl). I also dedicate this degree to two gentlemen that I adopted as brothers later in life Dr. William “Bill” Lee Geiger and James Carpenter. I met Bill in 1982 while I was a college sophomore. Bill was there to help me brave the storms and rain. A chance encounter (while on the Grey Hound bus traveling from Memphis, Tennessee to Baltimore, Maryland) yielded the adoption of James in 2009. Like Bill, James’s brotherly love was a bridge over troubled waters when I was weary and feeling small. I sincerely thank you (Bill and James) for being there. Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to thank God for giving me these special people (my loved ones and Bill and James). I thank Him for manifesting Himself through these people by making me feel loved. I also thank the Lord Almighty for giving me the knowledge and the endurance to persevere through such a rigorous program. Acknowledgments I would like to thank all of my wonderful professors for coaching and facilitating my progress during my coursework and dissertation studies at Walden University. I thank Drs. Donna Graham and Shelley Arneson (Chair and Co-Chair of the dissertation committee, respectively) for helping me “cross the finish line. ” I reached a turning point in my doctoral studies under Dr. Genniver Bell, former Chair. Thank you! In addition, I want to thank my academic advisors, counselors, technical support persons, and others who contributed to my success in obtaining this degree.