Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Educational Leadership P-12
Committee Chair/Advisor
Kris Frady
Committee Member
Natasha Croom
Committee Member
Lee D'Andrea
Committee Member
Jacquelynn Malloy
Abstract
This study looks at how principals affect teacher perception of school climate and teacher retention at Title I schools. While teacher retention and school climate have historically been issues at Title I schools, the issue has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study explored an elementary school in South Carolina through the lens of Critical Systems Theory. According to publicly available data, this school was an anomaly among Title I schools regarding the climate and teacher retention, with both measures being extremely high. To explore these phenomena, semi-structured interviews were conducted with both the teachers and administrators at the school. Ten teachers and both school level administrators were interviewed. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The findings suggest that administrators have a large impact on teachers’ perception of school climate and teacher retention at Title I schools. Many of the teachers spoke about how active both administrators are. They are visible, hands-on, and do not micromanage the teachers. They have helped create an environment where there is not only a mutual trust between the teachers and administration, but also among the teachers themselves. This positive climate has made turnover virtually non-existent, with multiple teachers passing up promotions or forgoing maternity leave to stay at the school. Following analysis and discussion, recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Stephen W. III, "The Administrators’ Role in Teacher Retention and Their Role on Teachers’ Perceptions of School Climate at an Exemplar Title I School: A Qualitative Study" (2025). All Dissertations. 3934.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3934
Author ORCID Identifier
0009-0006-0372-070X