Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2024
Degree Type
Capstone - Open Access
Instructor/Advisor
Dr. Melissa Nemon & Dr. Audrey Falk
Abstract
Teacher turnover and attrition is a significant issue in the education system and if it persists, it is likely that education will not be sustainable. This capstone features areas of research that highlight the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to teachers leaving the profession and analyzes current teacher retention programs to rate the effectiveness of their programs and incentives as it relates to theory. This research implicates that level of participation, job commitment, working conditions, professional development, incentives, and job satisfaction play a role in maintaining teachers if these criteria are directly addressed and teachers feel supported in these areas. Utilizing Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation and Olmo’s Teacher Attrition and Retention Conceptual Model, I analyze three existing teacher retention programs within the United States using a data comparison table to measure their effectiveness based on these criteria. This capstone concludes with some reflections based on the literature review and my findings, which reinforces existing research surrounding the importance of professional development, mentorship, and job commitment that result in higher odds of teacher retention. It also concludes with suggestions for schools and districts to implement to better support their teachers and therefore increase teacher retention rates.
Recommended Citation
Whittaker, Kim, "Teacher Retention Programs: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors that Contribute to Higher Teacher Retention and Overall Pride in the Profession, A Community Approach" (2024). Community Engagement Student Work. 104.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/soe_student_ce/104