Teacher Retention as a Critical Factor in School Effectiveness and Improvement

• In Event: Transformative Instructional Leadership

Abstract

Teachers help shape the future of our world and impact school effectiveness and improvement. School effectiveness is most important because education is transformative and central to economic development and social change, called for in this year’s AERA theme. Retaining talented teachers is pivotal to cultivating tomorrow’s leaders and innovators. There is a need to study teacher retention from the standpoint of policy that could contribute to school improvement and effectiveness. This paper uses a theoretical framework rooted in extensive research to investigate the complexity of teacher retention based on elements from social capital, human capital, structural capital, and positive psychological capital. Our findings show the intersection of these capitals in teacher’s work; we recommend addressing solutions to support teacher retention.

Authors

• Sheila R. Vaidya, Drexel University

• Casey E Hanna, Binghamton University - SUNY