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Work Environment, Leadership, And Teacher Retention In Early Childhood Education, Karen Appel-Drazin

Ed.D. Dissertations

The need for quality child care and early childhood education has greatly increased over the last decade. The literature has provided multiple definitions of what constitutes quality care; one key factor was teacher consistency. This study examined the perspectives of leaders and teachers working in early childhood centers about their work environment and the relationship of the environment, including leadership characteristics, to teacher retention. Participants completed the Early Childhood Work Environment Survey about their perceptions of multiple organizational practices. Analysis of the data revealed that there was a significant relationship between a teacher’s perception of supervisor support and their commitment …

An Exploration Of Teacher Retention In Rural School Districts In Eastern Kentucky, Jeremy Watts

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Teacher retention rates are staggeringly low across the United States. Nearly 20% of public school teachers leave their position from one year to the next, a majority of schools have a turnover rate of 50% every three years, and over 50% of teachers leave the education field within the first five years of employment. This retention problem impacts all type of public school systems—urban, suburban, and rural school districts.

This study examined teacher retention in elementary and secondary schools in three rural school districts in eastern Kentucky. Review of district and school documents about teacher retention informed the selection of …