An Exploration of Teacher Leavers Since the Onset of the Pandemic in Kansas City, Missouri Charter Schools

This study investigated reasons teacher leavers left urban, public secondary teaching positions in Kansas City, Missouri charter schools since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what might have helped these teachers continue teaching in the schools they left. The research for this study was done by interviewing thirteen teacher leavers who left their secondary charter school teaching positions during the pandemic.Prior research focused on why teachers from across the United States left their teaching jobs during the first half of the pandemic (Diliberti et al., 2021; Steiner et al., 2021). My study contributed to the current body of research by focusing on why teachers left their teaching jobs during the span of the pandemic, including those who left during the second half of the pandemic. My study is also specific in that it narrowly focuses on teacher leavers who have left secondary charter schools in Kansas City, Missouri.The data analysis within the study revealed that a lack of work/life balance and systemic concerns for education as a whole were the two most common factors that contributed to the teacher leavers within the study leaving the classroom. Additionally, the data analysis revealed that most teacher leavers within the study may have stayed in their teaching jobs if the work/life balance was better. All of the key factors that contributed to teachers leaving the classroom, as well as the factors that may have made them stay in the classroom if improved, all have an overarching theme of the system of education being broken, as evidenced by the myriad of systemic factors that the leavers cited for being driving forces in their decision to ultimately leave the classroom.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Brown Persley, Kirsten

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Mann, Bryan

• Educational administration
• Charter Schools
• Kansas City
• Missouri
• Retention
• Teacher
• Urban

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:18923

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/38865