Examining Work-related Factors that May Predict Teacher Retention Intention in Rural Georgia

This study utilized a quantitative, statistical, non-experimental design to collect, analyze, and interpret data or variables that might impact retention of beginning teachers (0-3 years of experience) and experienced teachers (more than 3 years of experience) in a rural county school system in Georgia. The following variables were examined: retention intention, job satisfaction, job autonomy, workload pressure, leadership support, work experience, lateral/non-lateral status, induction, and mentoring. There were 728 participants from 14 elementary schools, five middle schools, and four high schools. This study found there were no statistically significant differences in retention intention between lateral and non-lateral teachers. There was a statistically significant difference between teachers who participated in an induction program and those who did not. Results showed there was not a statistically significant mean difference in retention intention between teachers who were mentored and those who were not. There was not a statistically significant relationship between teachers based on experience. Results of the overall regression analysis revealed four of the predictors were significantly related to retention intention: job satisfaction, workload pressure, leadership support, and induction. Four predictors: mentoring, lateral/non-lateral status, experience, and job autonomy were not statistically significant to retention intention. For teachers with three years’ experience or less, job satisfaction and workload pressure proved statistically significant. For teachers with more than three years’ experience, results of the regression analysis showed that four of the factors were found to be statistically significant to this group: job satisfaction, leadership support, workload pressure, and induction. For teachers with three years’ experience or less, there was a negative association between job satisfaction and retention intention and there was a positive association between workload pressure and retention intention. For teachers with more than three years’ experience, there was a negative association between job satisfaction and retention intention, and leadership support and retention intention. And, for this same group, there was a positive association between induction and retention intention, and workload pressure and retention intention