The United States has become increasingly diverse, but the American professoriate has not kept pace. Nationwide, nearly three quarters of all college faculty are White. That figure is even higher in rural institutions, where minority faculty comprise only 15% of the total. This is problematic because research has shown that students of all races…

A significant teacher shortage exists across the United States due to factors ranging from accountability policies for the performance growth of students, the overwhelming workload due to teacher shortages, and the lack of competitive salaries that other professions offer. Consequently, state officials have introduced and implemented changes to…

The nursing profession has been facing a deficit of nurses for many years (Denehy, 2000; Haddad et al., 2023, Mayo, 1944; Schorr, 1980; Theisen & Pelfrey, 1990). Nurses are an essential part of the medical care system. They are responsible for most of the functions associated with healthcare. The schools that train nurses are as much affected…

This study investigates how higher education institutions attract and retain faculty of color. There is a deficit of minority representation in professorship. Specifically, over 80% of all full professors employed at four-year institutions are White (Espinosa et al., 2019). Gasman's (2022) and Bell's (1992) literature has impacted this study…

This critical qualitative research study examines how Black tenure-track faculty at predominantly White Research 1 (PWR1) institutions describe and enact their personal and professional commitments while navigating their institutions priorities and reward structure. Using a purposive and snowball sampling methodological approach, I interviewed 17…

This dissertation examines the troubling underrepresentation of staff of color in Pacific Northwest community colleges. Despite the proven benefits of racial staff diversity in promoting student success, community colleges face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff of color. Existing literature concerning non-teaching staff at community…

Science teacher shortages are reaching critical capacity across the United States and New Jersey. Emerging teacher identity research highlights the impacts that subject matter plays in the development and retention of today's teachers. Strong personal and professional connections to the content area of science directly impact a person's decision…

Teacher diversity is essential for creating inclusive learning environments, as teachers who reflect their students' backgrounds can better serve their needs and positively impact learning outcomes. As the Sweet Home CSD classrooms become increasingly diverse, the homogenous teaching force has failed to keep pace, with more than ninety-six (96%)…

Although institutions of higher education have set goals to increase faculty diversity, researchers note the continued challenge for faculty of color, specifically Black females. While there is a significant amount of literature on the lived experiences of Black women faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWIs), there has been little…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Florida's Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship on the retention rates of "High-Quality" Teachers. In 2015, the state provided $44 million for recruitment and retention bonuses of $10,000. In subsequent years, the program was reduced in size of award until ultimately canceled in…

Teacher attrition has been a growing concern in the United States for the past twenty years (Kelly et al., 2008). Teachers leave the profession for various reasons, including retirement, teacher burnout, stress, lack of support, and a desire to change schools or age groups (Berry et al., 2011). School issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused…

The shortage of African American faculty employed at higher education institutions is prevalent at two-year community colleges across Tennessee. The problem addressed in this study is the lack of African American faculty employed at Tennessee Board of Regents institutions. This qualitative multiple-case study examined why there is a lack of…

This dissertation was designed to provide positive perspectives regarding recruitment and retention practices in an urban school district. Recruiting and retaining African American teachers for Advanced Placement (AP) courses is a vital educational issue in the U. S. The number of African American teachers teaching AP courses was low.A…

The national teacher shortage in the United States is a problem that has been steadily growing since the turn of the century (Sutcher et al., 2016; Sutcher et al., 2019; U.S. Government Accountability Office [U.S. GAO], 2022). Two of the main factors of this shortage are the decreased enrollment in teacher education programs and the retention of…

Representation matters and is the center of many conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging today. Representation is not just another trend, and an overwhelming amount of literature and data indicate a need for increased cultural representation, particularly in academia. This Action Research study aimed to understand the…