Making sense of early-career teacher support, satisfaction, and commitment

Abstract

In this mixed-methods study, I provide a rich and nuanced picture of how different districts across one state with an underdefined support policy strive to support early-career teachers, and then assess the relationships between these experiences and teachers’ own reported satisfaction and commitment to the teaching profession. I find substantial variation in the support experienced by early-career teachers. I also find that mentorship, both formal and informal, and perceptions of professional development are positively associated with satisfaction and commitment. Other contextual organizational factors also play a role in early-career teachers’ experiences and outcomes.