Educator retention is a concern plaguing the nation. Schools struggle yearly to fill positions for classroom educators as teachers leave the profession. This phenomenological study examined a rural Central Texas school district and its educators' perceptions of retention issues. Multiple classroom educators were interviewed at a Title 1 rural…

Professional development provides opportunities for teachers to acquire the knowledge needed to become experts in their classroom content and to improve their instructional skills to meet the needs of today's student learners. While districts and curriculum leaders work to improve professional development design, teachers' dissatisfaction with…

The purpose of this quantitative associative correlational study was to examine the relationship between teachers' assessments of job-embedded professional development and school performance scores within a single rural school district in Southeast Louisiana. The theoretical foundation was Andragogy. Two research questions guided the study in…

Teachers are among the most critical stakeholders within the school community. Effective teachers are needed to provide students with a quality education and to prepare them for success both in and out of the classroom (Miller et al., 2020). Almost half of all teachers leave the profession within their first five years of teaching. In Florida, 40%…

Teacher recruitment is a continual challenge facing many rural high-needs schools. The researcher designed this quantitative survey study to explore superintendent and teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher recruitment practices used in High Need/Resource Capacity Rural school districts in New York State and the use of Bolman and…

This article explores the research question: How does the nature of interest group influence on school superintendents vary across school district locale/? Utilizing a survey of Wisconsin superintendents, the author tests several hypotheses related to the relationship between school district locale and superintendent perceptions of interest group…

The AIM process is a strategic planning process for school districts to create Comprehensive Health and Wellness Plans (CHWPs) aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. The purpose of this study is to describe results of this process as it was implemented with 21 rural school districts. An 81-item survey was completed by…

The COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020 threatened education systems worldwide. K-12 administrators had to efficiently alter their operations while putting students' interests first to manage the substantial problems and exceptional conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning more about K-12 administrators' attitudes, beliefs, and…

The increased need for effective school leadership development, especially in rural and high-needs schools, has led to an increase in research-practice partnerships between districts and universities. Yet, there is a need for systematic analysis of the outcomes of such partnerships. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of a…

A nationwide teacher shortage has been a problem in our country for many years. Teacher vacancies continue to be plentiful, but enrollment in teacher preparatory programs continues to decline. This study aimed to investigate low teacher retention in rural Alabama schools. Through the lens of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this study examined…

The widespread digital gap significantly impacts educational achievements and fair access to resources, particularly in rural areas with limited technology and high-speed internet. This study explores strategies used by school administrators in five rural Southeast school districts to bridge the digital divide and overcome obstacles. Through…

This study explores the ways in which the democratic notion of "the people" may be enacted in the school choice arena. Through an investigation of a charter school movement in a rural and segregated district in the Deep South, we explore themes of the constituent paradox that enabled the community to move beyond individual interests…

As beginning teachers face challenges and seek support, many never receive the guidance needed to help them become effective teachers. Lack of support can build obstacles that lead to job dissatisfaction and failure to retain teachers. Nationwide, states have adopted legislation to require induction programs for new teachers to improve teacher…

Educators are faced with increased accountability and decreased funding. This means that school districts must carefully determine how they can best invest their limited resources. Informed decisions that serve the best education interests of the students should be the practice of all schools. One small, rural school district has invested…

The teacher attrition rate has drawn serious attention, but the extreme turnover in rural minority communities has become a crisis. To address it, one university's Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) partnered with local districts to offer paid yearlong residencies. In the residency model, residents receive income, intensive support, and…