ERIC Number: ED651424
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 151
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3819-7630-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Impact of Belonging on Retention Rates of Teachers of Color in Suburban School Districts
Scott Wild
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of California, San Diego
Teacher retention is a critical issue for the American education system and society as a whole. Much research has focused on teacher recruitment, pathways to teacher credentialing, and factors that support teacher retention, including positive organizational conditions and administrative support. Teachers of Color make up a numerical minority in America's classrooms despite student demographics shifting to an increasingly diverse composition. Research supports the importance of Teachers of Color for students, both minority and non-minority. Despite this understanding, numerous barriers exist for Teachers of Color in America's classrooms. Recent research has shown that increased attention to organizational conditions and how teachers experience their workplace influences their employment decisions. Focusing on a suburban school district in Southern California, this mixed methods research study examines how Teachers of Color experience their workplace, and how experiences of belonging and othering influence their desire to stay or depart. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner's (1999) Ecological Systems Theory, the study puts forth an original framework placing the Teacher of Color in the center of four contexts; self, school, district and community. Findings show that school context most influences belonging, that positive relationships with colleagues and administrators are positively associated with belonging, and that a teacher's individual purpose is central to this theme. District equity policies are also positively associated with belonging for Teachers of Color. The implications for administrators and educational leaders hold promise in fostering belonging and increasing retention for Teachers of Color in suburban school settings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Sense of Community, Teacher Persistence, Minority Group Teachers, Suburban Schools, School Districts, Intention, Educational Environment, Teaching Conditions, Collegiality, Teacher Administrator Relationship, School Policy, Equal Education
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A