According to the Texas State Board of Education in 2002, 60% of teachers in Texas classrooms quit the profession after only five years in the classroom. In 1998-99, Texas filled over 63,000 teaching positions. Most vacant positions resulted from existing teachers retiring (11,000) or leaving the profession (46,600). A recent study in Texas estimated the enormous cost of teacher turnover at $329 million per year or approximately $8,000 per teacher. Highly qualified individuals that meet the federal standards mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, have become highly sought-after teachers for all districts. A growing number of school leaders have acknowledged the data linking quality teachers and achievement, but are facing the tough challenge of how to identify, attract and retain a cadre of expert teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected components of job satisfaction and teacher behavior related to job retention choices. Additionally, this research examined the relationship between selected demographic variables and teacher retention. Specifically, this research sought to determine the relationship between elementary teachers' gender, age, ethnicity, years of teaching, perceived level of job satisfaction and their retention in the field of education. The Specter Job Satisfaction Survey was used to collect teacher job satisfaction data. The survey was modified to collect demographic information as well. Data analysis for survey information was structured into three sections. The first section examined the descriptive measures of the predictor and dependent variables. The second addressed the interrelationship between the independent and dependent variables. The third section addressed the five null hypotheses formulated for this study. The data in the first two sections were treated using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Multiple Correlation, and the Standard Multiple Regressions procedure. Analysis for the third section was done by multiple regression analysis, which was used to test for significant relationships between and among the independent variables of job satisfaction (compensation, work tasks, supervision, recognition, organizational environment and communication) and job retention. Linear regression analysis was used to determine if there are significant relationships between the study demographics, gender age, ethnicity, years of teaching, and job retention. Analyses from this study indicated that there was a relationship between the perceived teacher job satisfaction and retention behavior. The present study consistently identified components of job satisfaction such as compensation, work tasks, supervision, rewards/recognition, operating conditions/environments and organizational communication as being related either positively or negatively to retention. Significant differences were not noted between the demographic factors of gender, age, and years of experience. Years of teaching experience was found to have an impact on teacher retention. The teaching variable was found to be negatively related. The finding revealed that the teachers with less teaching experience were more likely to stay. While job satisfaction was not found to be directly related to predicting whether a teacher would leave or stay, leaders need to consider how these factors are affecting productivity and recruitment programs. Leaders might also focus on programs to retain new teachers. Recommendations for further study include a follow-up study involving a more diverse population; a study to measure the impact of teacher retention and teacher attrition on the human capital expenditures of school systems; a study to assess the attitudes of teachers toward the teaching profession across ethnicity, gender, and age; a study to measure the impact of teacher retention and teacher attrition on private and charter school systems; and a study to measure the influence of teacher certification pathways and the impact on teacher retention and attrition. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]