Date

10-16-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Sharon Farrell

Keywords

servant leadership style, staff retention, early childhood education, transcendental phenomenology, childcare, teacher turnover

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover whether the servant leadership style, which emphasizes supporting the needs of followers, could enhance the support of early childhood education (ECE) teachers and raise retention rates in the central Arkansas area. The theory guiding this study was Robert Greenleaf’s servant leadership theory, as it is best known for supporting the needs of followers. A review of relevant literature has found that ECE teachers are leaving the industry due to heavy workloads and a lack of support from leadership. The aim of this study was to investigate how the leadership style of ECE administrators influences the retention of staff with less than five years of teaching experience in central Arkansas. Data were obtained from ECE teachers from three private sector programs, one public school program, and one faith-based program in central Arkansas through semi-structured interviews, journal prompts, and focus groups. The data collected were analyzed and clustered into themes that resonate with the core elements of the phenomenon. The experiences showed that the servant leaders all share the ability to build supportive relationships and positive environments. Participants also shared that servant leaders are skilled at encouraging and motivating teachers, utilizing their knowledge and expertise to empower teachers in their roles. As a result of these factors, staff retention increases.

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