Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Transformative Action in Education
First Advisor
Dr. Belkis Choiseul-Praslin
First Committee Member
Dr. Brittany Auernig-Roan
Second Committee Member
Dr. Christina Rusk
Abstract
The low rates of preservice and early in-service teacher retention in California’s Title I schools have been a longstanding concern and contributing factor in the state’s teacher shortage. However, the impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) pandemic exacerbating teacher attrition creates a concern for how frameworks of new teacher support should be re-examined in post-pandemic classrooms. This study aimed to understand what factors are most important to preservice and early in-service teachers working in Title I schools when deciding to retain or resign from their positions. Additionally, this study examined whether reported factors associated with teacher attrition and retention differ from historically relevant factors, and the degree to which teacher demographic information or independent factors moderate attrition and retention.
Findings from this study showed the only factor significantly associated with preservice and early in-service teacher attrition was the degree to which positions aligned with teachers’ personal ideologies and beliefs on effective instruction. No other factors or demographic information moderated the relationship between ideology and attrition/retention. Teachers who reported ideological alignment were 78.3% less likely to leave, while those with low alignment were 4.6 times more likely to resign. While several combinations of factors correlated with attrition/retention, only ideology and beliefs significantly predicted outcomes. Results suggest that this novel factor outweighs historically relevant predictors as well. Given the non- experimental design, further research is needed to explore how these findings can inform improved support frameworks for new teachers in Title I schools.
Pages
147
Recommended Citation
McInnis, Colin M.. (2025). Heading for the Hills: An Evaluation of the Conditions Impacting Teacher Attrition and Retention in Post-Pandemic California Title I Schools. University of the Pacific, Dissertation. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/4295
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
