P-12 Education Studies - Retaining Non-Traditionally Certified Teachers in the Profession

Oct 15, 2026

Teacher turnover in U.S. P-12 schools has increased, intensifying shortages that drive districts to hire educators from non-traditional certification pathways. Because such teachers are more likely to leave than fully prepared teachers, retention becomes essential for sustaining staffing. This grounded qualitative study identifies that strong, positive organization-wide relationships and collective efficacy support help alternatively certified teachers stay. Findings provide a grounded theory with implications for practice and future research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background of the Study

Statement of the Problem/Purpose of the Study

P-12 Education Studies RETAINING NON-TRADITIONALLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE PROFESSION Leslie Cranford Richards, Jefferson (AL) County Schools D. Keith Gurley, University of Alabama at Birmingham Abstract Relative to the theme of this journal edition, Leadership in a Time of Change, one ofthe most challenging changes in school leadership recently has been finding qualified teachers to teach in P-12 classrooms. Teacher turnover in P-12 schools has increased significantly (Simon & Johnson, 2015), contributing to the teacher shortage in the United States. This shortage of teachers has necessitated the employment of more teacher candidates from non-traditional teacher certification pathways. Researchers report that teachers from non-traditional certification pathways are more likely to leave teaching than fully prepared teachers. Thus, retention of teachers would help solve the teacher shortage problem. Therefore, it is important to determine what working conditions and support systems in schools will encourage non-traditional certification pathway teachers to stay in the profession. This information is critical to educational leaders trying to maintain a faculty that is well-equipped to utilize best-practice instruction to meet the needs of students. Students also benefit from the stability of relationships with teachers who stay in their teaching positions over time. Qualitative, this grounded study findings indicate that strong, positive relationships that support teachers from all levels of the organization are key to retaining teachers from non-traditional preparation pathways. Initiatives that help to build and maintain strong collective efficacy among teachers can also aid in retaining alternatively certified teachers. This study offers a working, grounded theory of teacher retention and suggests implications for practice and future research. Author Note: The authors provide permission to publish this manuscript. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Keith Gurley, Phone: 205-975-1983, [Email: ](Email: kgurley@uab.edu)[kgurley@uab.edu](Email: kgurley@uab.edu) . Keywords: teacher shortage, teacher turnover, teacher retention, alternative certification Introduction School leadership is a challenging endeavor in the most stable of times. Leadership in a Time of Change, such as the current changes we are experiencing in the P-12 school context, is particularly daunting considering the growing shortage of teachers available for P-12 classrooms. Sutcher et al. (2019) defined a teacher shortage as “an inadequate quantity of qualified individuals willing to offer their services under prevailing wages and conditions”(p. 4). Using this definition, a teacher shortage is not merely about the number of new teachers entering the profession, but also the number of those willing to serve in a particular location. Sutcher et al. noted that staffing problems in the field of education are “driven by a myriad offactors, including not only production of new teachers in various fields, but also teacher turnover, changes in educational programs and pupil-teacher ratios, and the attractiveness of teaching generally and in specific locations'' (p. 4) . Sutcher et al. reported a projected increase in students in the United States by about 3 million students in the next decades. In contrast, the supply of teachers continues to shrink. According to these authors, estimates consistently predict substantial teacher shortfalls by the hundreds of thousands nationwide and report that enrollment in university education programs has declined by over one-third in recent years. In this study, researchers used a qualitative, grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to explore the experiences of non-traditionally certified teachers in a single, large school district in Alabama. This single district of focus is among 139 districts in the state and employs nearly 200 teachers who have entered the teaching f

FAQs

Why is teacher retention important in P-12 schools?

Teacher turnover has increased, creating shortages that require districts to rely more on non-traditional certification teachers. Retaining these teachers helps address both staffing gaps and stability for students.

What methods did the study use to examine non-traditionally certified teachers?

The study used a qualitative, grounded theory approach to explore experiences of non-traditionally certified teachers in a large Alabama school district.

What factors did the study identify as key to retaining alternatively certified teachers?

The findings emphasize strong, positive relationships that support teachers across organizational levels, along with initiatives that build and maintain collective efficacy among teachers.

Oct 15, 2026

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