Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Dr. John Kellmayer
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Dr. Karen Maxwell
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Dr. Dianne Reed
Abstract
This qualitative descriptive study examined the perspectives of novice middle school teachers with 0–5 years of experience who taught core academic subjects in Texas Title I school districts. I sought to understand how principal leadership or the building administrator to whom these teachers report influenced their decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, I described how leadership functions as both a motivator and a hygiene factor in shaping job satisfaction and retention. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and an optional Likert scale survey to capture both narrative insights and measurable perceptions. The findings illuminated the leadership behaviors and school culture conditions that contributed to teacher motivation, professional commitment, and retention. This research provided valuable implications for school leaders and policymakers seeking to enhance support systems and reduce turnover among early-career educators in under resourced, high-need schools. Keywords: teacher retention, novice teacher, Title I schools, motivation-hygiene theory, middle school education, principal, leadership, teacher, motivation
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, LeBrandan Keshaun, "A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Importance of Principal Leadership on Title I Middle School Teachers’ Decisions to Remain Teaching in the School" (2025). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 976.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/976
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Urban Education Commons