Teaching with Purpose
Open Access DepositedFactors Impacting Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher Retention
Perkins Collaborative Resource Network, 2024
Office of Postsecondary Education, 2016
Karp et al., 2007
U.S. Department of Education, 2024
Wilkin & Nwoke, 2011). While much of the literature has focused on why teachers leave the profession, less is known about why veteran CTE educators choose to remain. This qualitative study, guided by Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory (1966) and Spillane’s Distributed Leadership theory (2006), explored the factors influencing teacher retention by examining the experiences of 15 veteran public high school CTE teachers from 13 states. Three themes emerged from the analysis. First, participants emphasized the importance of building partnerships with students, colleagues, and industry professionals. These relationships served as a basis for meaningful learning experiences. Second, they described how commitment to student growth and personal wellbeing contributed to educator and student success. Finally, participants discussed the transitions and challenges they encountered in the profession. They highlighted the importance for consistent support and adaptability over time. These findings show that CTE teacher retention is shaped by interconnected motivations, relationships, and evolving conditions. In many cases, existing structures and practices may not fully account for the personal and professional fulfillment that sustains veteran teachers. Systemic limitations, such as inflexible policies and inconsistent leadership support, can make it challenging to meet the needs of CTE teachers. However, this study demonstrated that retention can improve when schools foster purpose driven environments grounded in community, collaboration, and student growth. Educational leaders who adopt distributed leadership practices and respond to both intrinsic and environmental needs can help build sustainable pathways for CTE educators. These approaches affirm educator identity, support growth, and prioritize meaningful learning experiences for all students.
Kazis, 2005
Ongoing challenges with retaining Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers across the United States have raised concerns about workforce stability and the impact on students’ readiness to enter career fields (Devier, 2019
Harris & Wakelyn, 2007
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