Excellence in onboarding: a case study of campus leader support for early-career teachers

Abstract

It is critical in industries experiencing labor shortages and high attrition rates, as is the case for early-career teachers (ECTs) in Texas, to understand effective early-career supports and how they contribute to career persistence and effectiveness. This study aims to examine the context-specific onboarding experiences of ECTs and the leadership practices they found valuable. This qualitative, collective case study used a positive deviance approach to examine teacher onboarding experiences. Located in a high-needs, urban public-school campus with atypically low teacher turnover and high student academic achievement. The authors interviewed eight mid-career teachers regarding their early-career experiences with supervisor and organizational support. Findings indicate that supportive coaching, developmental feedback and a collaborative growth-oriented culture were critical. These practices were enacted through supervisor relationships characterized by relational trust and instructional credibility. The findings inform onboarding design in general and particularly in school settings. This positive deviance case provides insight into the mechanisms through which established onboarding practices operate within an industry experiencing labor shortages and high attrition, such as public education in Texas.