Factors Affecting Teacher Retention in Early Childhood Education

SMSU Event Center BC

We are working with early childhood educators: family care workers, early childcare teachers, and directors of early childcare centers. Participants were to be currently employed in one of the three types of early childhood education positions previously mentioned and be at least eighteen years of age. The purpose of this project is to assess whether three categories: level of education, salary, and having sick and/or vacation time influence retention, specifically whether or not participants see themselves working in the field of early childhood education within the next three years. We contacted early childhood educators, in family care and childcare centers, in San Bernardino County, California through email, mail, and phone calls. Participants were asked to complete a survey depending on which of the three types of educators they were, the surveys were distributed either by qualtrics survey link or paper copies. The surveys assessed barriers they may have potentially faced in trying to obtain higher education. This paper looks at responses to questions 1, 2, 15, 20, 33, and 33a on the survey. Upon completing the survey, participants will receive a ten-dollar credit to Lakeshore Learning Center. We believe that all three of the factors will have an affect on retention rates. Additionally we predict that salary will be the most influential factor on whether or not the early childhood educators see themselves working in the field three years down the line.