Predicting Teacher Job Satisfaction and Propensity to Leave in the Bering Strait School District in Rural Alaska through the Application of Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

This study examines the relationship between teacher job satisfaction and teacher indicated propensity to leave their positions in one very unique geographical and cultural educational context - the Bering Strait School District in rural Western Alaska. Data was collected for this quantitative study via a questionnaire survey instrument utilizing Likert scales that was distributed to teachers via email and completed online. The questionnaire items focused on determinants of teacher job satisfaction and teacher indicated propensity to leave as found in a body of research which demonstrates that job satisfaction influences employee propensity to leave, and that employee propensity to leave influences actual employee turnover. The factors of Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory (Herzberg, 1968/1987; Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959) provided the theoretical framework for the determinants of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction on the questionnaire survey instrument, and an employee propensity to leave scale (Murray, 1998) was used to measure teacher indicated propensity to leave their positions. Statistical techniques commonly used in the social sciences were utilized to analyze teacher reported data to examine the relationships between determinants of teacher job satisfaction anddissatisfaction and teacher propensity to leave their positions. It is intended that the results of this study will contribute to developing a strategic approach to maximizing teacher job satisfaction and retention in the region, contribute to the body of theoretical knowledge in the field, and inform further research concerning teacher job satisfaction and teacher propensity to leave