Date

8-24-2023

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Sherrita Rogers

Keywords

minority achievement gap, opportunity gap, teacher recruitment, and teacher retention

Disciplines

Education | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore teacher recruitment and retention practices for Black educators in rural counties in Southeastern North Carolina. The theories that guided this study are John Ogbu’s cultural-ecological theory of minority school performance, and Richard Valencia’s deficit thinking theory. The research question that supported this study was: What are the lived experiences of recruitment and retention initiatives for Black teachers in rural Southeastern North Carolina? The study design was a descriptive study that utilized the sample of Black educators in rural Southeastern North Carolina. There was a total of 10 teacher participants in this research study. The setting was rural counties in Southeastern North Carolina with a focus on Twine, Golfe, and Haire counties. The data collection methods that were used in this study were individual interviews, exit surveys, and a reflective writing prompt. The analytical approach that was utilized in this study was Moustakas’ transcendental approach. The major themes of the study were feelings of home, culture of the school district, and diversity and equity initiatives, which indicate a need for more targeted recruitment and retention measures for Black educators in the form of various levels of support, financial incentives and partnering HBCUs and local community colleges with Grow Your Own programs.

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