Teacher attrition and retention: An uphill climb that education must overcome to save schools

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the factors that affect new teacher attrition and to study the preparation programs that best accommodate the needs of new teachers in an effort to improve the quality of education students receive. Data from participants was collected using the qualitative case study research design, which included responses to an open-ended survey which was then followed by interview questions, both of which were created by the researcher. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What are the major factors that have caused new teachers to remain or leave the study site during their first years as an educator? (2) Which professional preparation programs or collaborative models are perceived by new teachers as the best methods to decrease teacher attrition? (3) How do new teachers feel about current mentoring programs, and what changes can be made to mentoring programs to help reduce new teacher attrition rates?;The 27 teachers who provided the data in this study were all at the school three years or less at the time of the study. This case study revealed that most teachers leave their particular schools or the entire teaching profession because of a lack of administrative support on a regular basis. Support from administration and sufficient time spent with their mentors contributed to lowering attrition rates among teachers new to the school in this study. The implications of these results could be used to improve the education that students receive from highly qualified teachers and decrease the money schools spend on training new teachers annually as they strive to develop effective teacher retention programs in hopes of retaining highly qualified teachers.