Instructional Program Coherence, Teacher Intent to Leave, and the Mediating Role of Teacher Psychological Needs

The purpose of this study was to 1) examine the relationship between instructional program coherence (IPC) and teacher intent to leave; and 2) investigate teacher psychological need satisfaction as a mediator in this relationship. HLM was used to test the hypotheses. As predicted, school differences in teacher intent to leave their school were related to teacher perceptions of IPC. Teacher autonomy and relatedness mediated the relationship between IPC and teacher intent to leave, while teacher competence satisfaction did not. Results suggest that the way school leaders organize the instructional environment has implications for teacher well-being and retention.