Schon, Dina M.2023-06-222023-06-222021-05http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12087/160A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Public AdministrationUnderstanding the beliefs that influence secondary public school teachers’ decisions to stay in the profession presents areas of public policy concern for all stakeholders. The negative effect on taxpayers is an estimated $8 billion annually. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in an unprecedented level of professional frustration for public secondary school teachers. An original desire to understand the beliefs that influence teacher attrition within two secondary public high schools in Southern California morphed into an eagerness to understand how beliefs undergird decisions to stay while in a pandemic. Methodology approaches for qualitative studies include questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. The effectiveness of these approaches was challenged as COVID-19 impacted our national education system and affected teachers both personally and professionally. The account of this researcher’s exploration into the uncharted waters of the utilization of these methods during a pandemic was captured to glean answers to why teachers may decide to stay in the profession.en-USPublic AdministrationEducational PsychologySecondary EducationThesis