An Examination of Teacher Characteristics by School Locales in Georgia Elementary Schools

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dc.contributor.author Grier, Britton
dc.coverage.spatial United States, Georgia en_US
dc.coverage.temporal c.2014-2019 en_US
dc.date.accessioned 2020-01-27T16:37:07Z
dc.date.available 2020-01-27T16:37:07Z
dc.date.issued 2019-12
dc.identifier.other 966D1664-8D14-5BA1-4F65-96926683A927 en_US
dc.identifier.uri https://hdl.handle.net/10428/4090
dc.description.abstract This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined teacher sorting patterns in Georgia schools. Teacher and school characteristics from a sample of 1,057 Georgia elementary schools were examined in the quantitative phase while, for the qualitative phase, interviews with five human resources directors provided a better understanding of the teacher sorting documented in the quantitative phase. Results from this study demonstrated that teacher quality gaps existed across Georgia elementary schools. Additionally, economically disadvantaged students were more likely to be taught by less experienced and lower paid teachers. Particular geographic locales also employed more experienced and higher paid teachers than did others. Teacher sorting based on school characteristics was also found within geographic locales. Human resources directors explained how teacher sorting occurred in what were geographically small labor markets. Reasons for this sorting included salaries, local amenities, student demographics, and building leadership. This study contributes to the literature on teacher sorting by corroborating other studies that suggested teacher sorting is affected by salary and student demographics, while supplementing the few studies analyzing the role of geography on teacher quality gaps. This study was the first to investigate the role of human resources directors in teacher sorting. Implications from the findings in this study could be used by policymakers to reduce educational inequalities. en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents Chapter I INTRODUCTION 1 -- Statement of the Problem 3 -- Purpose of the Study 4 -- Theoretical Framework 6 -- Research Questions 8 -- Quantitative questions 8 -- Qualitative question 8 -- Summary of Methodology 9 -- Significance of the Study 10 -- Definition of Terms 13 -- Limitations 15 -- Organization of the Study 16 -- Chapter II LITERATURE REVIEW 17 -- Economic Theory 17 -- Teacher Supply 19 -- The Role of Geography on Teacher Sorting 22 -- The role of salary on teacher sorting 29 -- Effects of Salary on Teacher Attraction and Retention 34 -- Teacher Quality Gaps 37 -- The Role of Teachers in Student Achievement 41 -- The Role of Poverty in Student Achievement 41 -- Directors of Human Resources Departments 43 -- Conclusion 43 -- Chapter III METHODOLOGY 45 -- Purpose of the Study 46 -- Research Questions 47 -- Quantitative questions 47 -- Qualitative question 48 -- Methodology 48 -- Population 49 -- Selection of Participants 50 -- Instrumentation 51 -- Validity 52 -- Reliability 54 -- Independent Variables 54 -- Dependent Variables 56 -- Data Collection 58 -- Data Analysis 61 -- Protection of Human Subjects 68 -- Summary 69 -- Chapter IV RESULTS 70 -- Quantitative Phase 72 -- Demographics 72 -- Descriptive statistics 75 -- Summary results for descriptive statistics 84 -- Inferential statistics 86 -- MANCOVA. 86 -- MANOVA. 89 -- Hierarchical multiple regressions 95 -- City hierarchical regression 96 -- Rural hierarchical regression 98 -- Suburb hierarchical regression. 99 -- Town hierarchical regression 100 -- Summary results for inferential statistics 102 -- Qualitative Phase 103 -- Participants 103 -- Qualitative question and findings 106 -- Theme 1. Human Resources competed with neighboring school districts for teachers through teacher compensation packages 106 -- Theme 2. Geography impacted human resources directors’ ability to attract -- and retain teachers 108 -- Theme 3. Human resources directors worked to address challenges regarding district level recruitment. 111 -- Theme 4. Human resources directors faced two main challenges that caused -- intra-district sorting: building leadership and student demographics 114 -- Theme 5. Human resources directors created retention policies focused on supporting and retaining new teachers 118 -- Summary of Findings 121 -- Chapter V DISCUSSION 124 -- Purpose of the Study 124 -- Quantitative questions 125 -- Qualitative question 125 -- Related Literature 125 -- Methods 129 -- Population. 130 -- Participants 130 -- Procedures and data analysis 130 -- Limitations 131 -- Summary of Findings 132 -- Quantitative phase. 133 -- Qualitative phase. 142 -- Discussion 147 -- Implications of the Results 151 -- Recommendations for Future Research 153 -- Summary 156 -- References 158 -- Appendix A 178 -- Appendix B 181 -- Appendix C 184 -- Appendix D 186 -- Appendix E 188 -- Appendix F. 190 -- Appendix G 192 -- Appendix H 195 -- Appendix I 202. en_US
dc.format.extent 1 electronic document, 217 pages. en_US
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf en_US
dc.language.iso en_US en_US
dc.rights This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed. en_US
dc.subject Dissertations, Academic--United States en_US
dc.subject Education en_US
dc.subject Elementary school teachers en_US
dc.subject Equity en_US
dc.subject Georgia en_US
dc.subject Personnel management en_US
dc.subject Teacher effectiveness en_US
dc.subject Teachers--Salaries, etc. en_US
dc.subject Teachers en_US
dc.subject Vocational qualifications en_US
dc.title An Examination of Teacher Characteristics by School Locales in Georgia Elementary Schools en_US
dc.type Dissertation en_US
dc.contributor.department Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services en_US
dc.description.advisor Pate, James L.
dc.description.committee Daesang, Kim
dc.description.committee Siegrist, Gerald R.
dc.description.degree Ed.D. en_US
dc.description.major Education in Curriculum and Instruction en_US


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