Volume 3 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Research - Page 60

58 significant factors in the recruitment of highly qualified teachers (Bartholomew-Jones, 2015; Keating, 2006). Multiple strategies are available for school districts to utilize in order to recruit the most highly qualified teachers, including grow-your-own programs, targeted job fairs, partnerships with universities, and recruiting internal candidates such as paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, and student teachers (Keating, 2006; Podolsky, Kini, Bishop, & Darling-Hammond, 2016; Swanson, 2011; Williams, 2017). In addition to recognizing the factors that influence attrition, it is vital for school districts to be proactive in implementing best practices to reduce attrition as well. New teachers are much more likely to leave than any other category of teachers (Guarino et al., 2006; Ingersoll, 2003). A strong mentor program and induction process is vital to providing the support new teachers need in order to be successful early in their careers (Brill & McCartney, 2008; Shockley, Watlington, & Felsher, 2013). Professionals are more likely to stay in their jobs if they are provided support and shown gratitude (Blasé, Blasé, & Du, 2008). Support and gratitude can come from a variety of sources including parents, peers, students, and administration. However, the school principal has the most essential role in teachers’ decisions to remain in their schools (Ingersoll, 2003). Positive and supportive leadership is extremely important to all teachers (Butler, 2014). The school principal creates the working conditions that lead to teacher job satisfaction. A collaborative school culture where teachers feel respected, their voices are heard, and their professional growth needs are met are reported as important factors that lead to teacher retention (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). Teacher autonomy and level of faculty influence are positively related to teacher retention (Guarino et al., 2006). The location of the school and the school district is a major factor influencing retention (Bartholomew-Jones, 2015). Salary and benefits are considerations in teacher retention but are the least important factors influencing teachers’ decisions to stay (Alliata, Benninghoff, & Muller, 2009). Results and Findings The purpose of the current phenomenological, qualitative study was to highlight the common factors that influence teacher attrition and identify the best practices of transformational school districts for teacher recruitment and retention. Specifically, four research questions were addressed: Research Question 1 (RQ1) What are the perceptions of   human resource professionals in school districts in the North   Texas Regional Consortium of High Performing Schools   (NTRC) about the common factors influencing teacher   attrition and turnover? Research Question 2 (RQ2) What are the perceptions of   human resource professionals in school districts in the   NTRC about the common factors influencing teacher   retention? Research Question 3 (RQ3) What impact does membership   in the NTRC have upon teacher attrition, recruitment, and   retention, according to human resource professionals? Research Question 4 (RQ4) What best practices do   transformational school district professionals in the NTRC   report that are implemented in order to attract and keep the   most highly qualified teachers? The current research study was conducted in three phases. In Phase 1 the researcher collected demographic and teacher attrition data concerning each of the school districts within the NTRC. The data was collected from the Texas Education Agency using their Texas Academic Performance Reports. Two significant data points discovered in the research were the attrition rate of NTRC districts compared to the State of Texas and the average salary in NTRC districts compared to Texas. The data showed that, on average, the NTRC school districts have a 2% lower attrition rate, 14.3%, than the state average, 16.4%. The NTRC districts have maintained at least a 2% lower attrition rate than the state over the past five years. In addition, on average, the NTRC districts pay new teachers $4,000 more than the state average, and the average for all teachers is $3,000 more than the state. Phase 2 of the current study involved one-on-one interviews with human resource professionals from each of the nine districts within the North Texas Regional Consortium of High Performing Schools. The purpose of interviewing human resource professionals within the NTRC was to gain insight from their unique perspective into the multiple reasons why teachers left their districts and, conversely, decided to stay in their districts. Human resource professionals are directly involved with recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers and James Hill, Ed.D.