The development of just three skill enhancement tracks would offer something that would fulfill a need of every teacher in this study. Conclusions and Recommendations Lutheran schools are 'sharing' a national crisis of shortages of teachers - too few new teachers coming into the system and too many teachers leaving the teaching ministry for public school jobs, or leaving teaching altogether for other careers. This is probably still true, but the nature and size of the trade-offs may be changing dramatically especially among younger teachers. This research was conceived as a starting point on a voyage of discovery that does not end with this report. The analysis has sought to discover ways in which these factors fit together to affect teachers' behavior.
Further research is called for.
For one thing, we need to talk to teachers who have left the teaching ministry to determine if changes in areas suggested by this research would have affected their decision to leave the teaching ministry, or if these changes would affect a decision to return to teaching in Lutheran schools. As a result of this research, we have established that certain factors are predictive of teacher satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and whether or not a teacher is likely to leave or not. Relationships with the administration and with other teachers are very important to teacher's satisfaction , even ahead of compensation. Good relationships can off-set some of the dissatisfaction with other aspects of their teaching career. It is important that those in the position to foster better relationships understand the impact they have on teachers' satisfaction.