The relationship between perceptions of school factors and early teacher attrition and retention

Abstract

This study was designed to determine early teacher perceptions of school factors salient to decisions to exit or remain in teaching positions. The focus was to assess early teacher perceptions of initial teaching assignments, induction and work conditions. The population consisted of 137 educators in a large urban school district in the state of Florida. Participants included 113 second year teachers currently working in the school district and 24 early teachers who had voluntarily resigned from the same school system within the last three years with less than three years of teaching experience. Data were collected through the use of a survey instrument which assessed early teacher perceptions of school factors related to the first teaching experience. The relationship between perceptions of school f. actors and subsequent decisions to exit or remain in teaching positions was examined within the framework of four research questions. The first three questions explored differences between the two groups' perceptions of initial teaching assignments, induction and work conditions. Question Four concerned differences of perceptions of school factors according to school level of assignment and decisions to exit or remain in teaching positions. Analysis of the data revealed: (1) there was a statistically significant difference in the two groups' perceptions of induction as former teachers had less positive perceptions; {2) there was a statistically significant difference in the two groups' perceptions of work conditions as former teachers had less positive perceptions; and (3) there was no statistically significant difference in perceptions of initial teaching assignment. The following conclusions were reached. Participants validated the induction factor as being salient to early teacher decisions to exit or remain in teaching positions. There was a marginal validation by participants that work condition perceptions were salient to decisions to exit or stay in teaching positions. Recommendations for future, related investigations are presented .

Notes

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Graduation Date

1991

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Bozeman, William C.

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Educational Services

Format

PDF

Pages

199 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0027971

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Education; Education -- Dissertations, Academic

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