48 Vonda Hayes, EdD it was also important for principals to visit classrooms regularly to find out how things were going, what their needs were, and how the principal could support them. Additionally, teachers expressed the importance of feeling appreciated and recognized for their efforts. Implications There is expansive research on teacher attrition (Boe et al., 2008; Boyd, Grossman, et al., 2011; Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; Sutcher et al., 2016). However, over the past 10 years, researchers and district leaders have devoted more attention to the extensive number of teachers leaving the field of education (Balow, 2021). With the shortage of teachers, school districts will continue to face challenges in retaining qualified teachers. The cost of recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers is approximately $2.2 billion each year, which affects the economic status of districts (Borman & Dowling, 2008). Additionally, high teacher attrition rates can affect a campus’s reputation in the community, thus attracting fewer families to the community because of the high percentage of inexperienced teachers. A study conducted by Boyd, Grossman et al. (2011) has shown that the quality of principal support has influenced teachers’ decisions to leave their campuses. In Boyd, Grossman et al.’s (2011) study, teachers’ perceptions about their principals were the strongest indicator of teachers’ decisions to stay or leave the profession. Teachers with negative perceptions of their principals were more likely to leave the teaching profession (Boyd, Grossman, et al., 2011). In the current study, some teachers commented that teachers had left the campus because of the leadership styles of the principals. Some teachers stated that teachers did not like to be micromanaged by the campus principal; therefore, they would leave. Conclusion Traditional districts and campuses have faced challenges with high teacher attrition rates over the past decade. As the current study demonstrates, charter districts and campuses face the same challenges with attrition. It has become an urgent problem for school leaders across America. Experienced teachers are leaving the profession, and campuses are left to fill teacher vacancies with inexperienced, novice teachers who often lack the skills necessary to teach students in underperforming urban districts. Like traditional districts, charter districts not only have to pay for the cost of a teacher, they also incur the cost of training for the new teacher. The teacher attrition problem was further heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers reported experiencing stress on the job because of some of the COVID protocols that had to be implemented. They also had additional responsibilities added, such as virtual teaching and larger workloads. Teachers also had their own families to care for during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the stress at work and home, more teachers decided to leave their jobs (Hargreaves, 2021). The role the campus plays is an important factor in teachers’ perceptions on whether to stay or leave their campuses. The campus principal’s actions dictate the practices and leadership styles that affect teacher attrition. Therefore, the campus principal must engage in leadership practices that foster a campus culture of collegial relationships, professional growth for all teachers, and teacher collaboration. The participants in the current study have given insight into some areas that need improvement for the campus principals’ support of teachers with 1–5 years of teaching experience in the charter districts. It is incumbent upon charter districts to ensure principals are provided with the skills necessary to support all teachers that will improve their instructional practices and influence their decisions to remain at their respective campuses. Students deserve the best teachers; therefore, charter school principals must be catalysts that ignite the perseverance and passion in teachers. References Alliance for Excellent Education. (2005). Teacher attrition: Acostly loss to the nation and to the states [Issue brief]. https://dnainsights.com/articles/TeacherAttrition.pdf Balow, C. (2021). Teacher attrition: A critical problem for America’s schools. SchoolMint. https://blog.schoolmint. com/teacher-attrition-a-critical-problem-for-americas- schools Bickmore, D. L., & Dowell, M-M. S. (2014). Two charter school principals: Engagement in instructional leadership. Journal of School Leadership, 24(5), 842–881.
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