Identifying Factors that Reduce Elementary School Teacher Turnover Using a Thematic Analysis Approach
Keywords:
turnover, teacher retention, thematic analysis, organizational factors, elementary school teachersAbstract
This study aimed to identify the factors that reduce elementary school teacher turnover and to develop a comprehensive qualitative framework based on thematic analysis. This applied qualitative study adopted an exploratory–inductive design. Data were collected through document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 32 academic experts and education professionals until theoretical saturation was achieved. Thematic analysis was conducted through systematic coding at basic, organizing, and global theme levels using MAXQDA software, and trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability criteria. The findings revealed that teacher turnover reduction is explained through five overarching themes, eighteen organizing themes, and ninety-two basic themes, encompassing individual, job-related, organizational–structural, cultural–processual, and environmental dimensions that jointly influence teacher retention. The results highlight that reducing teacher turnover requires an integrated, multi-level human resource strategy within the education system rather than isolated or short-term interventions.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hassan Dadashi (Author); Fakhreddin Ahmadi (Corresponding author); Hamid Shafizadeh (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
