44 Introduction Districts and campuses are challenged with retaining quality teachers (Boe et al., 2008). Teacher attrition is higher for teachers within their first 3–5 years in education (Darling-Hammond, 1998). It is especially higher in urban areas with minority and low-income students (Scheopner, 2010) because teachers tend to leave campuses with high percentages of low-achieving, minority students (Boyd, Grossman, et al., 2011; Boyd, Lankford, et al., 2011). Nationally, there are more inexperienced minority teachers working on campuses with high percentages of economically-disadvantaged students (Goldhaber et al., 2014). In addition, most teachers were certified through alternative programs that had lower retention and completion rates than the traditional certification programs (Bland et al., 2023). The role of the campus principal has drastically changed over the last 40 years. It has shifted from managerial tasks to instructional leadership of campuses (Dressler, 2001). However, the campus principal role has been crucial in retaining effective teachers. Even though the role is important in retaining teachers, Brolund (2016) noted campus principals were often tasked with various management responsibilities that made it difficult to focus on teachers’ instructional practices. Some even lacked the skills to assist teachers with instructional practices, especially charter school principals (Bickmore & Dowell, 2014). In addition to working with teachers on instructional practices, charter school principals had other responsibilities that traditional principals did not have, such as recruiting students, marketing the school, and advocating for the charter schools (Gross, 2011). Introduction to the Problem According to the Alliance for Excellent Education (2005), the quality of teachers is the most important factor in determining student performance; however, the national attrition rate for teachers has been approximately 8% for younger teachers with fewer years of experience (Loewus, 2021). Historical trends show the demand for teachers in Texas has been affected by several factors, including demographics, changes in the labor market, public policies, and political and social issues. Teacher attrition remained consistent in Texas at approximately 10% between 2011–2012. The attrition rate decreased to approximately 9% during the 2020–2021 school year; however, the rate increased to approximately 12% during the 2021–2022 school year (Lopez, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic affected teacher attrition rates. Fifty-four percent of teachers stated they would probably leave the profession within the next two years after the pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 34% stated they would probably leave (Loewus, 2021). Research Questions The following questions guided the current study: Research Question 1 (RQ1) What are the perceptions of teachers about factors that influence teacher attrition? Research Question 2 (RQ2) What are the perceptions of teachers about principal support on teacher attrition in charter schools? Research Question 3 (RQ3) What are the perceptions of teachers about leadership traits and practices that have supported teacher retention? THE IMPACT OF PRINCIPAL SUPPORT ON TEACHER ATTRITION IN CHARTER SCHOOLS Vonda Hayes, EdD Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2024, VOL. 7, ISSUE 1 www.dbu.edu/doctoral/edd
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