THE IMPACT OF CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ON TEACHER RETENTION AND PREPARATION
Date
2018-05
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Abstract
Hiring and retaining the highest quality teachers is a top priority for any school
district. However, given the current challenges that districts face in today’s educational
climate and with the recently recovering economy and the looming retirement bubble about to burst, this priority becomes even more imperative. This study focused on gathering and analyzing data on the relationship between the type of credential that a candidate holds upon hire and their retention within the profession. Additionally, the research analyzed data around a relationship between the preparation that the teacher received from their certification program and their ability to address the challenges that they faced in their first five years in the classroom. Ultimately, at the conclusion of this research, it was determined that there was no difference in the retention rate of teachers based on the type of credential held upon hire. In addition, the research identified that the only differences in the preparation of teachers was for those who participated in an intern program, who felt more prepared than those who were traditional teacher preparation participants. Also, the research identified that the Short Term Staff Permit and Provisional Intern Permit holders felt more challenged in their first five years in the classroom as compared to other new hires. Finally, the research identified that there were many similarities across all classifications as to what originally motivated candidates to teach, why they may have considered leaving at one point, and why they ultimately decided to stay.