Teacher Perceptions: A Study of One School System Sponsored National Board Cohort

Abstract

Research suggests that retaining teachers is becoming a challenge to school and system leadership in most states, including Alabama. Local school system sponsored national board cohorts are being developed as one means of providing the experiences necessary to train and retain teachers. The present qualitative case study focuses on leadership supports of teachers in a national board certification cohort. Its goal is to learn more about the role leadership plays in the success of the national board cohort model and which outcomes from participation might be helpful to develop, train, and retain teachers to curtail the present teacher shortage facing school systems in Alabama. Through confidential interviews, participants reflected on the facilitators and barriers leadership provided during certification. They describe the outcomes from certification including their viewpoint on remaining in the field. The findings from this study suggest that school and system leaders can implement supports through the system sponsored national board cohort that will allow teachers reach high levels of self-efficacy in their practice, realize additional professional opportunities, attain greater job satisfaction, and improve their outlook on remaining in the field.