Modified School Calendars in Charter Schools: Impacting Teacher Retention?
Location
Preston 2
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Attracting and retaining teachers in the workforce is becoming increasingly complex. While there have been studies and reports related to why the decline in the number of educational professionals is occurring (Gangone, 2024), it has become a priority for those of us interested in the field of education to begin taking a serious look at how we can make the profession more appealing and sustainable. One newly emerging aspect of teachers’ work that is being examined is teachers’ workload and how the design of the school calendar contributes to teachers’ professional well-being. Specifically, some school districts are looking at reorganizing their school calendar and moving away from the traditional 180-day “summers off” calendar design. Examples of modified or “balanced” calendars being adopted by school districts across the country include iterations of the “year-round” school calendar, multi-track schedules, single-track schedules that provide more frequent breaks for teachers and students throughout the school year, and four-day school week designs (Thompson, et al, 2021).
Recognizing that teachers’ overall job satisfaction and reasons for their longevity in the field is multifaceted, it is critical to explore various approaches and seek creative ideas that enhance teacher satisfaction and in turn, impact teacher retention. This presentation will share findings from a study in which we examined how the school calendar and/or work schedule for teachers impacts their sense of professional well-being and retention in the field. Utilizing a list of all principals in Georgia provided by the National Alliance of Georgia Charter Schools, we surveyed the principals to gain insight in their perceptions of how school calendar design could potentially impact teachers’ job satisfaction, as well as recruitment and retention. Survey results will be available and shared by the time of the presentation.
Keywords
Teacher Retention, School Calendar, Charter Schools
Professional Bio
Regina Rahimi is a professor in the Department of Middle and Secondary Education at Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus. Her current research interests involve teacher retention, school climate, and trauma-informed pedagogy.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Rahimi, Regina; Soares, lina; and McBrayer, Juli, "Modified School Calendars in Charter Schools: Impacting Teacher Retention?" (2026). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 13.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2026/2026/13
Modified School Calendars in Charter Schools: Impacting Teacher Retention?
Preston 2
Attracting and retaining teachers in the workforce is becoming increasingly complex. While there have been studies and reports related to why the decline in the number of educational professionals is occurring (Gangone, 2024), it has become a priority for those of us interested in the field of education to begin taking a serious look at how we can make the profession more appealing and sustainable. One newly emerging aspect of teachers’ work that is being examined is teachers’ workload and how the design of the school calendar contributes to teachers’ professional well-being. Specifically, some school districts are looking at reorganizing their school calendar and moving away from the traditional 180-day “summers off” calendar design. Examples of modified or “balanced” calendars being adopted by school districts across the country include iterations of the “year-round” school calendar, multi-track schedules, single-track schedules that provide more frequent breaks for teachers and students throughout the school year, and four-day school week designs (Thompson, et al, 2021).
Recognizing that teachers’ overall job satisfaction and reasons for their longevity in the field is multifaceted, it is critical to explore various approaches and seek creative ideas that enhance teacher satisfaction and in turn, impact teacher retention. This presentation will share findings from a study in which we examined how the school calendar and/or work schedule for teachers impacts their sense of professional well-being and retention in the field. Utilizing a list of all principals in Georgia provided by the National Alliance of Georgia Charter Schools, we surveyed the principals to gain insight in their perceptions of how school calendar design could potentially impact teachers’ job satisfaction, as well as recruitment and retention. Survey results will be available and shared by the time of the presentation.
