Teacher retention rates are currently at an all-time low, posing significant challenges to the stability and effectiveness of educational institutions. This paper aimed to address this pressing issue by identifying methods to enhance teacher job satisfaction specifically within the context of Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)…

Although Virginia teachers earn thousands more annually than their counterparts in states such as Mississippi and Arkansas, data show that the Virginia teacher retention percentage is among the lowest in the U.S. (North, 2021). Comparing teacher salaries to those of other occupations, the Commonwealth ranks 50th in the nation, just ahead of the…

This study analyzed the perceptions of teachers, school administrators, and division administrators pertaining to leadership and teacher participation in the instructional decision-making process. Prior to this study, how these perceptions could affect teachers' overall desire to continue to teach and perform their duties at a level evaluated as…

Even though most of the students in United States public schools are students of color, the demographics of the teacher workforce do not mirror that of students. In the Northern Virginia region, there seems to be a greater deficit of Black teachers than in other areas of the US, even though this area is known for its diversity, resources, and high…

Unlike the ineffective generic approach often used for teacher professional development, NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative (EPDC) Digital Badging offers access to a highly organized system of knowledge and personalized, online professional development (PD) through digital badging. This qualitative case study provided an…

Virginia Public schools continue to face teacher shortages, and policymakers and school leaders are desperately seeking ways to influence teachers' decisions to stay at school. This multi-site case study of seven elementary schools offers a conceptual framework to examine how teachers' trusting relationships with students and parents relate to…

Special education teachers enrolled in a Virginia-based alternate route certification program were surveyed to determine if they perceived the program was valuable for creating effective special educators, and the focus of the study was on the effectiveness of alternative route programs for teacher preparation. The literature review showed scant…

Over the past decade, national initiatives have shifted States' attention to the challenge of turning around low-performing schools. The lack of consistent, dramatic improvements in the lowest-performing schools reflects the severity of the school turnaround challenge, but also suggests the need to continuously evaluate and refine turnaround…

Recent school reform initiatives and state mandates dictate increases in teacher accountability with teacher performance based on the results of standardized test scores. Although the number of teachers who choose to leave the profession is distressing, there are those who choose to remain for the long term. Utilizing the modified van Kaam method…

This monograph offers an in-depth look at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Rural Systemic Initiative (RSI) efforts, an investment of more than $140 million to reform mathematics and science programs in rural K-12 public education and tribal education. The authors seek to promote a foundation of contextual understanding for improving public…

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the influence of a mentoring program on novice elementary school teachers in several suburban elementary schools in the Tidewater area of southeastern Virginia. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mentoring programs and the attrition and retention rates of novice…

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the influence of a mentoring program on novice elementary school teachers in several suburban elementary schools in the Tidewater area of southeastern Virginia. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mentoring programs and the attrition and retention rates of novice…

Thus, this study examines two beginning teachers' perceptions of a high-stakes test in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Data analysis revealed that the teachers' perceptions towards the test had changed during their first year of teaching. This issue is important because how first-year history teachers perceive and respond to the high stakes tests…

This study used path analysis to examine the effects of work-related factors--including principal support, stress, role problems, job satisfaction, and commitment--on 542 Virginia special educators' expressions of intent to stay in teaching. The study concluded that these work-related variables should be included in strategies for retaining…

A questionnaire was completed by 463 special educators and 493 general educators in Virginia. Analysis indicated that work-related variables, such as leadership support, role conflict, role ambiguity, and stress, are better predictors of commitment and job satisfaction than are demographic variables. Findings were similar for general and special…