Factors That Lead to Teachers Applying to and Staying in a High-Poverty, Low-Performing Elementary School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify teachers' perceptions of factors that lead to teachers applying to and staying in a high-poverty, low-performing elementary school. Duncombe (2017) noted that 16% of their teaching staff in high-poverty schools were within their first 2 years of teaching, in stark contrast to low-poverty schools having only 8% of their teachers in their first 2 years of teaching. By identifying teachers' perceptions of factors that lead to them applying to and staying in a high-poverty, lowperforming elementary school, principals and school division leaders would better understand the practices they could implement to address the teacher storage in these schools. The qualitative study included interviews with five teachers who have applied to and stayed in a high-poverty, low-performing elementary school in urban Virginia for a minimum of 3 years. Data collection included five semi-structured interviews with teachers in a school designated as a highpoverty, low-performing elementary school. After completing the interviews and the coding, the researcher looked at the emergent themes, identifying the different factors that play a role in their decisions to stay. The researcher explored teachers' perceptions of the teaching environment and why they chose to apply to and stay in an elementary school classified as high-poverty, low-performing. Analyzed data indicated that administrative support, positive school climate, and instructional coaches or instructional supports impacted teacher retention in a high-poverty, low-performing elementary school in urban Virginia. Teachers noted that having a supportive principal increased their self-efficacy and classroom autonomy, which increased job satisfaction and directly impacted their decision to stay. Teachers interviewed also reported a positive school climate and access to instructional coaches and instructional supports were effective in assisting them to overcome the challenges and