Advisor
Vogel, Linda
Committee Member
Cohen, Michael
Committee Member
Porter, Holly
Committee Member
Correa-Torres, Silvia
Department
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences; Department of Leadership, Policy, and Development, Educational Leadership and Policy
Institution
University of Northern Colorado
Type of Resources
Text
Place of Publication
Greeley, (Colo.)
Publisher
University of Northern Colorado
Date Created
8-2023
Extent
136 pages
Digital Origin
Born digital
Abstract
Teaching is a profession facing many challenges; among the greatest is high teacher turnover, which is even greater in high-poverty schools. Working conditions are ranked lower in high-poverty schools, contributing to the increased turnover in those schools. Principals have a high impact on teacher turnover, second in impact only to socio-economic status. The purpose of this study was to examine principal actions at schools that serve high poverty areas that are able to retain teachers. A qualitative case study was conducted where a high-poverty school was selected with approximately 80% teacher retention, allowing room for the principal to remove ineffective teachers. The school was a Title I school, indicating a poverty level of above 75%, and had a principal who had been at the school for over 10 years. Principal longevity was noted to ensure identified actions could be attributed to the current principal and also allow the principal to have been at the school for three normal school years prior to the pandemic. The school had a ranking of performance on their school performance framework to ensure retention was supporting achievement. Fourteen people were interviewed including 11 teachers in different tenures, the principal’s supervisor, the assistant principal, and the principal in order to gain an understanding of principal actions that were able to support teacher retention in this high-poverty school. Principal actions identified in this study as having an impact on teachers' decision to remain at the school were positive recognition, support, protected planning time, shared decision making, high expectations, consistency, and relationships.
Degree type
EdD
Degree Name
Doctoral
Local Identifiers
Bekins_unco_0161D_11145.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
