Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the similarities and differences between five key motivational factors: (a) new teacher induction, (b) noninduction mentor support in the early years of teaching, (c) salary and benefits, (d) working conditions, and (e) administrative support influential in retention of employment in…

The factors that best differentiated among 1,167 AISD teachers who left the district, transferred within the district, or remained on the same campus were attachment to teaching, attachment to school, and satisfaction with the work environment. [For report I, see ED628047.]

Research suggests that substantial pre-service student teaching is essential for the preparation and retention of special educators. Using logistic regression analysis, survey responses of beginning special educators were analyzed to answer the following questions: Are beginning special educators more likely to leave the field if they have had…

Teacher induction programs provide the critical support that new teachers need as they move from university teacher education studies to the everyday realities of teaching. Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) work through a range of new and challenging experiences as they explore their sense of themselves as professionals. Their identities are being…

This study explores a constellation of factors that contribute to the retention of teachers in high-poverty, urban schools. It focuses on one cohort of the University of California at Berkeley's Multicultural Urban Secondary English Credential and MA Program, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to track the careers of 26 novice teachers…

Although much research on teacher attrition and mobility exists, few researchers have addressed English teachers specifically. The present authors, using the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-Up Survey (TFS; National Center for Education Statistics, 2005) examined individual and school characteristics and…

This paper examines the morale of beginning secondary science teachers who attended one of three types of teacher preparation programs: (1) traditional undergraduate, (2) post-baccalaureate certification, or (3) alternative route to certification. One-hundred one secondary science teachers (grades 7-12) who were completing their second year in a…

Novice teachers often struggle in their first year. Some succumb to illness, depression, or burnout, and some even decide to abandon teaching as a career option. The classic stressors identified by new teachers have been remarkably consistent over the years, and their challenges have been well chronicled. Less has been written, however, about the…

The findings in this study will add to the body of research regarding improving workplace support for urban educators. One of the major issues in public education today is that of teacher induction. In this study, the researcher explored, through first-hand accounts of early service educators, the perceived effect, in terms of performance in the…

Each year, the National Center for Educational Statistics, through the US Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences, publishes information about the need for millions of new teachers in the USA. Many of these positions are in urban schools. What makes new teachers beat the odds and remain in challenging schools? This study…

This descriptive study examines the unique cases of three middle grades education majors who completed a year-long student teaching experience in the same school where they were hired for their first year of teaching. Surveys of the new teachers, their mentors, and observations of the new teachers were used to examine the preparation received in…

The first year of teaching is a "make or break" time. Approximately 30 percent of all beginning teachers either move to a different school or leave teaching at the end of their first year. This paper proposes four action steps for beginning-teacher induction and mentoring programs with the potential to not only keep teachers in the classroom, but…

Beginning teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate. Role expansion and role intensification have become more predominate in the profession as a result of numerous reform and accountability movements, including "No Child Left Behind". Research suggests that social supports and engagement in multiple roles can buffer the effects…

The education research community has spent years debating the value of teacher education and professional development programs and their impact on teaching effectiveness and student achievement. These debates will no doubt intensify as Congress turns its attention this year to reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. School…

One of the main policy responses to turnover and inadequate preparation among beginning teachers is supporting them with an induction program. Informal or low-intensity teacher induction programs are prevalent and include pairing each new teacher with another full-time teacher without providing training, supplemental materials, or release time for…