Olivet Nazarene University Digital Commons @ Olivet Ed.D. Dissertations School of Graduate and Continuing Studies 5-1-2010 The Impact of School Culture on Retention from the Alternatively Certified Teacher Perspective Vickie Valencia Parker Person Olivet Nazarene University , [email protected] This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies at Digital Commons @ Olivet. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ed.D. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Olivet. For more information, please contact [email protected] . Recommended Citation Person, Vickie Valencia Parker, "The Impact of School Culture on Retention from the Alternatively Certified Teacher Perspective" (2010). Ed.D. Dissertations. Paper 10.

THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL CULTURE ON RETENTION FROM THE ALTERNATIVELY CERTIFIED TEACHER PERSPECTIVE by Vickie Valencia Parker Person Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Olivet Nazarene University School of Graduate and Continuing Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership May 2010

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To God Be the Glory for the things He has done! I must acknowledge my Lord and Savior who has called and chosen me for such a time as this. Thank you, Jesus! To my committee chairperson, Dr. Darcel Y. Brady. Thank you for your calm, convincing spirit. Thank you for recognizing my potential and for giving me the space and time I needed. I will forever be grateful for your guidance, patience, and wisdom. To Dr. Houston Thompson for giving us the “elephant” point of view on putting the entire dissertation pieces together. As my reader, I welcomed your comments and suggestions; they were effective and efficient. To all of the Olivet Nazarene University professors and staff associated with this program—thank you! I’d like to extend a special thank-you to Dr. Melvin Welch, who showed such passion for this program and such love for the Centennial Cohort members. You were an angel through this entire process, and your unconditional concern will never be forgotten. Thank you to all of my fellow colleagues and educators, especially those who participated in this study. To the best and finest 15 cohort members in the world—thank you. The lessons I’ve learned from you, as well as the rich relationships I have been blessed enough to develop, will forever shape my life. May you continue to make a difference as the ethical leaders that God has called you to be. You were the icing on this sweet journey. We made history as “The Sweet Sixteen Dream Team.” May God Bless You with Love and Peace!