Date of Award
1-17-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Committee Members
Ali Khalil; Twila Patten
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2024 W56
Abstract
This study explored perceptions of teacher retention from the lens of veteran teachers in an effort to examine why teachers remain in the classroom. According to Carver-Thomas and Darling- Hammond (2017), teacher turnover negatively impacts student achievement and the efforts to replace teachers puts school districts in a financial bind. Through the interview process, this study examined the stories of fifteen veteran teachers in East Tennessee as they described their experiences of persistence in the field of education. The teachers in this study shared factors that impact their reasons for remaining in the field of education. The participants’ response to the interview questions were thematically analyzed which resulted into two themes: sense of purpose and support from school leaders and colleagues. Teachers in this study shared their sense of purpose as a reason for their persistence in the classroom which was supported by components of the self-efficacy theory. Additionally, teachers in this study shared that support from school leaders and colleagues was a factor of their longevity in the classroom which was grounded on the foundational principles of the attribution theory. The results of this study provide potential practices for school leaders, state policy makers, and district leaders as they seek solutions for retaining teachers.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Yolanda, "Veteran Teachers’ Perceptions of the Factors Contributing to Teachers’ Retention in East Tennessee" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1040.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1040
