The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Teacher Attrition in a Rural Alaska School District
Embargo until
2022-12-01
Date
2021-12-01
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Publisher
Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
Teacher attrition is a significant problem in rural Alaska. The annual exodus of teachers out of rural communities is expensive and has implications for student achievement. Exploration of the teacher attrition literature reveals a myriad of factors that influence teachers’ employment decisions. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study was designed to develop a better understanding of the relationship between childhood trauma, a cause of classroom behavioral challenges, and teacher attrition. Teachers in one remote, regional school district in Alaska were invited to complete a modified version of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Trauma-Informed Practice survey and participate in follow-up interviews about their experiences with student behavior and reasons for their employment decisions. The findings suggest that knowledge of, attitude toward, and use of trauma informed practices are not associated with teacher employment decisions in the participating district. Additionally, years of teaching experience or previous experience working in remote rural contexts was not associated with higher or lower scores in these elements of trauma informed practice. Instead, in alignment with the broader literature, participants reported many organizational characteristics and personal reasons for their decision to remain employed with or leave their current school district. Although limited by a focus on one school district, the findings raise important questions about whether investments in professional development for trauma informed practices will impact teacher retention outcomes or if experience affects teachers’ preparedness to work with students who have experienced trauma.
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Keywords
teacher attrition, childhood trauma, trauma informed practice, rural, Alaska