Teachers--Job satisfaction

This study aimed to analyze factors that predict job satisfaction and stress among Broward County teachers. A modified version of the WeBS survey was used to collect data on teachers' demographics, attitudes, and experiences related to job satisfaction. The sample used in this study was delimited to include only full-time teachers in Broward County Schools. Six research questions provided the foundation of the study, which was operationalized by Astin's (1993) input environment outcome model (IEO).
A descriptive analysis described the sample's individual and institutional characteristics and demographics. Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the strength of the relationship between variables. Finally, the data were analyzed using hierarchical, multiple regression. The regression model explored factors predicting job satisfaction and job stress among teachers. This study reported statistically significant results for each regression model. Statistically significant at p < .001, the factors that explained 55% of the variance in the final job satisfaction model included: How do background characteristics (e.g., sex, ethnic origin, and age), behavioral factors (e.g., openness, intrinsic motivation), and institutional variables (autonomy, student behavior, leadership, and school climate and culture) predict teacher job stress in Broward County? Implications for policy, practice and future research regarding job satisfaction and stress are included.

This study examined factors related to attrition of public school teachers. Two hundred fifty-six Palm Beach County, Florida, public school teachers responded to a questionnaire that solicited information concerning demographics, satisfaction with aspects of teaching, attitudes toward teaching and suggestions for increasing retention. The respondents were divided into three groups: those planning to leave teaching in the Palm Beach County schools within 5 years (departers--16.4%), those undecided about leaving (undecideds--37.0%), and those planning to remain (remainers--46.6%). Significance of differences among the three groups was tested using chi-squared and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). There were significant differences (p <.05) among the three groups with respect to having previously considered leaving teaching and being dissatisfied with teaching as a career. There were also significant differences (p <.05) among the three groups concerning the following: satisfaction with general working conditions, school learning environment, intellectual challenge of the job, support received from administration, opportunities for advancement, influence over school policies and practices, student motivation, parental support, student discipline/behavior, extent of department chairperson's help, determining the content of inservice programs, setting policy on grouping students by ability, establishing curriculum, and amount of administrative assistance provided to improve instructional effectiveness and/or classroom management. The departers were significantly different (p <.05) from the undecideds and/or remainers regarding the above factors, and expressed the most dissatisfaction with them. The undecideds differed significantly (p <.05) from the remainers only on topics of parental support, extent of department chairperson's help, and amount of influence they had in establishing curriculum. The remainers were more satisfied with all of the questionnaire items related to attrition than were the other groups. Increasing salaries and pay incentives, giving teachers more authority/support in the classroom, and improving general working conditions were suggested by respondents as the most effective steps for decreasing attrition. There were significant differences (p <.05) among the three groups of respondents regarding their first, second and third most important suggestions. Although a formal, predictive model for hiring does not exist, data from this study could be used as a beginning or such a model.

This study focuses on goal congruence between faculty and administrators, and how that congruence, negative or positive, is related to faculty productivity and faculty job satisfaction. Specifically, this study (a) examines and assesses goal congruence among faculty and administrators, (b) examines and assesses relationships between goal congruence and faculty productivity, and (c) determines how goal congruence was related to faculty job satisfaction. Finally, this study examines and assesses relationships between faculty productivity and faculty job satisfaction. The population for this study was the faculty, and college and departmental administrators in four of the ten public universities in Florida (USF, FAU, UCF, and FIU). College deans, associate deans, chairpersons, program directors, and tenured or tenure track faculty members were identified in eight disciplines (business administration, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, English, mathematics, physics and teacher education) from each of the universities that were selected. The researcher designed the instrument used for this study. The instrument was pilot-tested in departments and colleges not examined in the dissertation study. Research findings and conclusions were that there is goal congruence between personal importance and perceived university importance of institutional mission goals for both faculty and administrators. This research found goal congruence between faculty and administrators for five, highly important "quality" goals. Faculty reported relationships for four institutional mission goals, while administrators reported congruence in common with those of faculty, and an additional four university mission goals. There were significant differences between faculty and administrators' personal importance for only one goal, while differences between faculty and administrator perceived importance were significant for four institutional mission goals. There is a relationship between faculty productivity and faculty job satisfaction for three mission goals. Congruence between faculty's and administrators' personal importance and perceived university importance of institutional mission goals is related to faculty job satisfaction and faculty productivity.