What factors influence teachers\u27 decisions to stay or leave the teaching profession? : a study of a cohort graduated from a single subjects teaching credential program in central California

Teacher attrition and retention are of importance in California at this time because the state faces a projected teacher shortage. This thesis looks at a cohort of graduating members from a Single Subjects Credential Program in central California; those who have remained at their first school site, those who have moved within the teaching profession to other schools, those who have moved from teaching to a related profession and those who have left the teaching profession entirely. This thesis offers suggestions regarding possible reasons why a cohort of Single Subject students decided to stay at their first hire school site, decided to stay in the profession yet move to different schools, or chose to leave the teaching profession altogether. There are also suggestions of some possible means for amending current practices to achieve greater teacher retention