Volume 3 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Research - Page 65

Journal of K-12 Educational Research 63 FACTORS AFFECTING JOB SATISFACTION AND TEACHER RETENTION FOR NORTH TEXAS SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS Christopher Michael Miller, Ed.D. Introduction to the Problem Teachers are leaving education at an alarming rate. For the last 20 years, more teachers have left the profession than have entered (Darling-Hammond, 2003). According to a policy brief from EdSource (2008), some teachers have left the profession for different careers with better salaries and improved professional status. Specifically, science teachers have been considered more likely to leave education than teachers in other content areas (Guarino, Santibanez, Daley, & Brewer, 2004). During the 1999- 2000 and 2000-2001 school years, there were 30% more science teachers leaving education when compared to those science teachers starting a career in education (Ingersoll & Perda, 2010). Ingersoll (2003) recognized many science teachers, based on their existing degree, were just a couple of courses away from being able to move into a new profession. The same content knowledge and skill set could lead some science teachers to lucrative jobs in the private sector (EdSource, 2008; Ingersoll, 2003; Ingersoll & May, 2012, McConnell, 2013). Texas has also followed the national trend of searching for additional science teachers. Since 1993, Texas has been considered a science teacher shortage area (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). The current study examined the phenomenon of teacher attrition within the secondary science teacher population of North Texas districts. Background of the Study To understand the problem of science teacher turnover and job satisfaction, the issue of teacher turnover and job satisfaction across all content areas must be reviewed. In a literature review of past studies, the average teacher turnover rate in the United States is between 15 and 25% (Boe, Cook, & Sunderland, 2008). Beginning teachers have left the profession at a rate of 25% and up to 50% within the first three years (Fry, 2010; Rieg, Paquette, & Chen, 2007). In urban and/or high poverty areas, the teacher turnover rate could be as high as 50% (Gonzalez, Brown, & Slate, 2008; Ingersoll & May, 2012; Kent, Feldman, & Hayes, 2009). Texas Teacher Attrition In Texas, the numbers are not much better than the national averages. In 2017, the average teacher turnover rate across Texas is 16.4% (Texas Education Agency, 2017a). Over the first three years in the classroom, the turnover rate for Texas teachers has been as high as 40%. This rate of teacher turnover costs the state of Texas approximately $329 million a year (Darling-Hammond, 2003). On the other hand, some districts in Texas have had a lower teacher turnover rate than others. When examining the North Texas district’s teacher turnover rate for the 2015-2016 school year, the North Texas districts in the current study had a lower average turnover rate than the region and the state with an average 14.6% teacher turnover rate (Texas Education Agency, 2017a). Science Teacher Attrition Since 1993, science has been considered a teacher shortage content area in Texas (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). Past studies confirmed science teachers have had higher turnover rates when compared to other content areas, which has led to teacher shortages in middle and high schools (Ingersoll, 2011). Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2019, VOL. 3, ISSUE 1 www.dbu.edu/doctoral/edd