Graduation Year
2026
Date of Defense
6-25-2026
Degree Name
Doctorate in Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership
Department
School of Education and Human Development
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Kristine Woleck
Abstract
This study explored the lived experiences of early-career elementary teachers who were involuntarily reassigned to new grade levels in Title I schools in an urban Connecticut district. Guided by Knowles’s theory of andragogy and Bandura’s social cognitive theory, and informed by the developmental frameworks of Fuller and Feiman-Nemser, the study examined how teachers experienced reassignment, how they perceived the support they received, and how they believed transition systems could be improved. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, six teachers who experienced involuntary grade-level reassignment during their first five years in the profession participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that reassignment functioned as a multidimensional disruption that destabilized confidence, interrupted professional growth, required instructional recalibration, and often left teachers adapting without fully resolving their ambivalence about the experience. Support was most effective when it was timely, specific, manageable, and grounded in relational trust. Across cases, the shared essence of the experience was professional displacement during a vulnerable stage of teacher development. Although participants demonstrated resilience and developed new skills, their adjustment required substantial emotional, instructional, and relational labor that often remained hidden. This study suggests that involuntary reassignment should be understood as a developmental and equity concern in Title I schools rather than solely as a staffing decision. It offers teacher-centered evidence that may inform more responsive staffing, induction, and retention practices in high-need schools.