A mixed-method study of the support network, school climate, and well-being of teachers as the early implementers of California universal pre-kindergarten policy in California

Guided by the job demands and resource model, this mixed-method study examined the well-being of universal transitional kindergarten (UTK) teachers who served as early implementers of California’s universal pre-kindergarten policy. Using snowball sampling, 143 UTK teachers participated in the survey, and a subset of 21 participants were randomly selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analyses, including network analysis and path analysis, showed that teachers who had more individuals they could rely on for social support (i.e., higher degree of centrality) reported greater compassion satisfaction, defined as positive feelings from helping students. However, having more social or professional support was not related to their experiences of compassion fatigue, emotional/physical exhaustion related to chronic stress. We also found that teachers who had higher compassion satisfaction were less likely to consider leaving, while those experiencing more compassion fatigue were more likely to think about leaving. Qualitative thematic analyses delve into the perception of support networks and school climate among UTK teachers, uncovering additional challenges and resources that link to their turnover intention. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings highlighted the important role of support networks in fostering compassion satisfaction, while qualitative insights further explained the alignment of support systems with UTK teachers’ needs. These affirm the association between school climate and UTK teachers’ well-being, while qualitative data highlight the significance of teacher-student relationships and school connectedness. The study concludes with implications aimed at improving UTK teachers’ well-being and reducing turnover rates not only within California’s policy but also in similar contexts nationwide.