Exploring Motivational Factors Related To Teachers’ Retention And Attrition In Urban Schools

Retention of educators within urban settings is an essential consideration. More specifically, the retention of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) educators within urban schools is of great importance as the demographic of students grows increasingly multicultural due to shifting demographic patterns within large urban cities. I explored educator perceptions of motivational factors associated with retention and attrition through the theoretical lens of Situated Expectancy Value Theory (SEVT). A convergent parallel mixed methods design was utilized. Semi-structured interviews (N = 18) occurred simultaneously to quantitative data collection using a 44-item survey (N = 53). Analyses of the interviews and the survey data suggest that diverse staff, empathetic leadership, warm staff culture, and strong relationships with students relate to retention. Analyses also suggest that structural racism, top-down leadership, negative staff culture, inappropriate student behavior, and changing work demands in relation to COVID-19 are associated with attrition