DISSERTATION PROPOSAL ANNOUNCEMENT Ed.D. Program: Bruce Henecker “How Do Teachers Lose Tenure in New Jersey Based on TEACHNJ Legislation: A Qualitative Content Analysis”

This dissertation proposal is an exploration of the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey (TEACHNJ) Act and its impact on teacher tenure within the state. The TEACHNJ Act introduced new systems for teacher evaluation and tenure decisions. Even though the TEACHNJ Act has been implemented for over ten years, a thorough study is still needed to understand its impact on the process of effectively removing underperforming teachers. This research will use a qualitative content analysis approach to conduct a detailed examination of TEACHNJ Arbitrator rulings. The research aims to probe specific provisions of the TEACHNJ Act that result in loss of tenure and the common reasons linked to this outcome. By generating insights into teacher tenure laws, this research aims to enhance our understanding of teacher tenure reform and provide policy recommendations for future improvements.

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