Public Administration ETDs

Publication Date

9-12-2014

Abstract

Teachers are the single-greatest predictor of student achievement, and teacher effectiveness tends to improve with experience. Yet, roughly half of all new teachers leave the profession within five years of beginning their careers, leading to school instability, affecting student achievement, and wasting the public investment made in their professional development. This student examined a cohort of New Mexico public school teachers who began their careers in 2008 and analyzed the individual, school, and community factors that predicted their retention within the states teacher workforce in 2013 using logistic regression analysis. The study found that holding an alternative license consistently makes a teacher less likely to remain in the workforce, while a being Hispanic, having a new principal in 2008, and teaching in a community with higher median wages is associated with increased likelihood of teacher retention. The study did not find that teacher compensation was related to retention and concludes that New Mexico policymakers should consider investing in programs to support teachers, including induction and mentoring, to improve teacher retention within the state.'

Degree Name

Public Administration

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

School of Public Administration

First Committee Member (Chair)

Jon, Courtney

Second Committee Member

Cheryl, Torrez

Language

English

Keywords

teacher attrition, teacher retention, New Mexico, early career teacher

Document Type

Thesis

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