The purpose of this study was to explore paraeducators' perceptions of job-related supports, challenges, and effectiveness. Qualitative interviews were collect from 47 paraeducators across three states in the South and Southwest regions of the United States. A majority of paraeducators report being satisfied in their job and having positive…

Teachers' motivation to participate in professional learning is a significant factor in explaining the effectiveness of continuous professional development programmes. The present study investigated how factors at teachers' personal and school levels are related to their motivation to participate in professional learning activities. A…

As a conceptual framework, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been described as a means to increase teacher effectiveness and satisfaction. One urban middle school implemented PLCs during the 2007-2008 school year. However, there had not been an investigation into the effectiveness of the PLCs. Using organizational learning theory, this…

Research indicates that administrative leadership is the most important factor in determining the climate of a school, and there are specific leadership attributes such as improving working conditions that promote retention. This study seeks to identify leadership behaviors that positively affect quality teacher retention among two particular…