Teacher Perceptions of Advancement Program on Expected Teacher Tenure in High-Poverty Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine if teachers perceptions of the four essential elements of the Teacher Advancement System had any influence on teacher expected tenure in education.  The four elements are: (a) ongoing applied professional growth, (b) performance-based compensation, (c) instructionally focused accountability, and (d) multiple career pathways.  The sample included a maximum of 100 teachers from two elementary schools in a North Central Texas independent school district.  In June of 2014, the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) collected the data.  Participant's anonymously responded to 54 survey questions and multiple sub questions via an electronic survey instrument.

The teachers in this study chose one of three choices: (a) Will Stay Longer, (b) Will Stay the Same, and (c) Will Leave Earlier.  Consistently, of the 96 teachers who responded to this survey question, 69 teachers (71.9%) indicated that they would stay the same.   Although the data did not statistically support an increase in teachers' expected tenures, they did support several key elements that affect the performance of the teachers in the Will Stay the Same tenure group.  The data support teachers who experienced success in increasing student achievement through ongoing applied professional growth and instructionally focused accountability elements of the TAP system.