Keeping talent : the relationship between perceived support and teacher retention

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between principal support toward teachers who are new to a school and whether these actions lead to teacher retention or attrition. The study specifically examines the relationship between teacher’s perception of their principal’s support and whether the new teacher is likely to remain because of those actions. The importance of salary and pay satisfaction will be examined and special consideration will be given to the measures that pertain specifically to the principal’s influence on perceived supervisor support. This study used a correlational design to gather quantitative data to answer my research questions. Quantitative analyses worked to capture the relationships between the demographic factors, perceived supervisor support, pay satisfaction, and intent to stay. While there were relationships in the model studied, once perceived supervisor support is added to the model all other relationships are no longer statistically significant. As a teacher feels supported, there is a relationship with their intent to stay. In other words, as a teachers’ perception of supervisor support increases, one’s intent to stay also increases.Department of Educational LeadershipThesis (D. Ed.