Examining the Relationship Between Teachers’ Affective Commitment and Working Conditions Across School Poverty

• In Event: Teacher Work, Leadership, and School Improvement

Abstract

Teacher retention continues to be an issue facing public education. This mixed methods study examined the relationship between teachers’ perceived demands (student behavior and student engagement) and resources (administrative support and influence over policy and decision-making) on intention to stay in the profession across school poverty levels. Quantitative results indicated that regardless of poverty level, student engagement, administrative support, and influence over policy were significantly related to intention to stay. However, when exploring student behavior, differences were noted. Specifically, student misbehavior was not associated with affective commitment to the profession in high-poverty schools. The qualitative data added to this finding, as teachers in high-poverty schools mentioned student misbehavior with the greatest frequency. Implications for school leadership are discussed.

Authors

• Shea Elizabeth Ferguson, University of South Carolina

• Ruiqin Gao, University of South Carolina

• Angela D. Starrett, University of South Carolina