Date of Award

Fall 9-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Sherry DeVore

Second Advisor

Dr. Trey Moeller

Third Advisor

Dr. Anthony Rossetti

Abstract

Upon entrance to the educational arena, new teachers face many challenges, and rural school teachers face a unique series of challenges compared to teachers in urban and suburban school districts (Ingersoll, 2012). Rural school districts often have difficulty both recruiting and retaining teachers (Dadisman, Gravelle, Farmer, & Petrin, 2010). Teacher induction programs presented a possible solution to increase the teacher retention rates for rural school districts (National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 2007). The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between the degree of implementation of teacher induction programs and the teacher retention rates for high-performing rural school districts. For the purposes of this study, rural school districts were defined as those with 650 or fewer students enrolled. The sample population was 291 rural school districts in Missouri, and when Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) data and Distinction in Performance recognition filters were applied, the result was a stratified sample of 132 rural school districts. An online survey, created for the purpose of this study, yielded a sample of 46 high-performing rural school district respondents. The analysis of the data revealed no significant relationship between the degree of implementation of a teacher induction program and teacher retention rates for high-performing rural school districts. Specific components of teacher induction programs were not related to teacher retention rates for the sample school districts. Three components of teacher induction programs—rigorous selection of mentor teachers, the requirement of new teachers to observe peer teachers, and the requirement of building administrators to meet at least twice per year with new teachers—were common among sample districts with 100% teacher retention rates.

Rights

Copyright 2014

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