Exploring Catholic School Teachers' Perceptions of Factors That Support Longevity: A Qualitative Study

John Staud, the executive director of Alliance for Catholic Education (2022) stated, “The greatest crisis facing Catholic education, and education in general, is the recruitment and retention of talented and committed teachers and leaders for our schools.” Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to illuminate and explore the practical experiences of teachers who have longevity in Catholic schools with respect to their perceived needs, challenges and support in the mid-to-later years of their career path. Through the lens of self-determination theory, this study aims to describe the internal and external factors that teachers describe as “playing a role” in their decision to continue the teaching profession within Catholic schools. These findings may be used to inform policy, practice, and research that promote teacher retention and longevity in Catholic school settings.