Special Education Teacher Retention: The Importance of Teacher Working Conditions

Teacher retention, or why teachers stay, is an important area of study considering the impact teacher attrition and turnover can have on student outcomes (Hirsch & Emerick, 2006). Teacher attrition and turnover are even more concerning for those that are special education teachers (SETs), and it is noted as a priority to address in the state of Virginia (Solenson et al., 2018). Through an adapted organizational theory lens, this study addresses the following aims: 1) Determine if there are differences in perceptions of teacher working conditions (TWCs) between special education teachers (SETs) and teachers of other content areas and 2) Examine the effect of teacher working conditions, particularly leadership support, on special education teacher’s intent to stay at their school, move from their school, or leave teaching. To address the research aims, a statewide dataset was used that captured perceptions of Teacher Working Conditions and their intention to remain at their school, move schools, or leave teaching the following year. Results indicate that there are differences in mean responses when comparing Virginia special education teachers and teachers that teach other content areas on their perception of TWCs. Multilevel, multinomial logistic regression found several teacher working conditions are associated with SET intentions to leave, move, or stay, even after controlling for teacher demographic and school level variables. Of the TWCs, perception of school leadership had the most significant association with intention to move schools while perception of teacher leadership and autonomy was most significant with intention to leave teaching. There were also several demographic variables as well as a school level variable that remained significantly associated with SET intention despite the inclusion of TWCs. Predicted probabilities of teacher demographics, intention, and including high and low perceptions of TWCs found that the perception of the TWC had a bidirectional effect and can either exacerbate their intention to leave, or substantially decrease intention. The results of the current study offer practice, policy, and research implications for state policy, district/division leaders, school leaders, special education teachers, and future researchers

The Differential Effects of 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on the Gap Junctions and Connexins of the Developing Mammalian Lens

AbstractEpithelial cells in primary ovine lens cultures express the gap junction proteins connexin43 (Cx43) and connexin49 (Cx49; a.k.a. MP70), a homologue of mouse connexin50. In contrast, lens cultures of differentiated, fiber-like cells (termed lentoid cells) express Cx49 and connexin46 (Cx46), but not Cx43. To investigate the regulation of lens cell gap junctions by protein kinase C (PKC), differentiating lens cultures were treated with the PKC activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (β-TPA). Within 10 min, β-TPA significantly inhibited the transfer of Lucifer Yellow dye between epithelial, but not lentoid, cells. This inhibition was correlated with the phosphorylation of Cx43 and was followed by the gradual disappearance of Cx43 from cell interfaces. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine prevented Cx43 phosphorylation and the loss of Cx43 from intercellular junctions. Following treatment of cultures with β-TPA for 2–6 hr, Cx49 disappeared from epithelial cell interfaces, and by 24 hr of β-TPA treatment, levels of Cx49 detected on immunoblots of purified epithelial membrane fractions had also diminished significantly. The β-TPA-induced loss of Cx49 both from regions of epithelial cell contact and from isolated membranes was correlated with the disappearance of Cx49 mRNA. In contrast to the epithelial connexins, the lentoid connexins Cx49 and Cx46 were unaffected by even extended β-TPA treatment. In spite of lentoid dye transfer being refractory to β-TPA, significant levels of PKC-α (a β-TPA-sensitive isoform) were detected in the lentoid cell. The response of lens gap junctions to β-TPA depends upon the stage of differentiation and the complement of connexins expressed. The contrasting effects of β-TPA on Cx43 and Cx49 in lens epithelial cells indicate a fundamental difference in the regulation of these connexin proteins in the developing mammalian lens

Assessment of Quality Improvement in Ontario Public Health Units

Background: Quality Improvement (QI) approaches are used extensively in healthcare settings and increasingly in public health. However, the proliferation of QI in Canadian public health settings is unknown. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (a) assess the QI maturity in Ontario local public health units in Canada, and (b) to determine the relevance of the QI Maturity Tool in a Canadian setting Methods: The QI Maturity Tool (Version 5) was used to conduct a cross-sectional assessment of the QI maturity of 36 local public health units in Ontario, Canada. After tool items were reviewed for relevance, individuals most responsible for QI at each health unit were surveyed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty-one individuals responded (response rate: 86%). Respondents reported strong leadership support for QI, but limited training and resources available to advance this area. Approximately half of public health units were found to be at the ‘beginner’ stage of QI maturity; 19% and 26% were in the ‘emerging’ and ‘progressive’ stages, respectively. Only 3% were in the ‘achieving’ stage and none are in the ‘excelling’ stage. Implications: The QI Maturity Tool is valuable for determining the maturity of QI in Ontario public health settings. There appears to be strong support for advancing QI across local public health in Ontario, but limited infrastructure to enable associated QI activities

Will They Stay or Will They Go? Analysis of the 2019 DOE Working Conditions Survey

This report is part of the MERC Teacher Retention study. This study was designed to identify patterns of teacher retention in the MERC region and to determine the school and system-level factors driving them. The study also provides an overview of state and regional policies and programs relevant to teacher retention, and includes evaluations of existing policies and initiatives to determine efficacy and cost benefit. Teacher shortages continue to be a problem in the United States. While a range of policy solutions have attempted to stem the loss of teachers, at the base of many of these efforts is the concept of teacher working conditions, that is the workplace elements related to a teacher’s ability to do their job. Working conditions have been associated with job satisfaction and retention. This report presents the findings from an analysis of the 2019 Virginia Department of Education Working Conditions Survey. The analysis considered the various factors that influence teacher working conditions and whether these working conditions predict a teacher’s intent to stay or leave their current school