Nationwide, the teacher shortage and turnover concerns are an ongoing, ever-growing issue in public education. Ingersoll and Perda (2009) define turnover as the "migration of teachers from one school district to another" (p. 8). In 2016, the nationwide report on teacher retention showed that nearly half a million teachers will leave their schools or profession by the end of the year (Fuller et al., 2016). Finding a remedy for high attrition and low retention could build a sustainable solution to shortages in K-12 public education. Teacher retention refers to the percentage of teachers that remain within their school after the previous year of teaching. On the other hand, attrition refers to the number of teachers that leave or do not return for the next school year, which is averaging around 12% of all U.S. teachers annually (Moore, 2012). This quantitative study examined the relationships between teachers and their perceptions of administrator support, job-related stress, COVID-19 related stress, and self-efficacy to create a positive work environment. This study also examined the factors behind a teacher wanting to return to their current job position, switch school districts, or leave the career altogether. This study aligned with the Motivational Two Factor Theory created by Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman (1959). Herzberg et al. (1959) posited that "certain factors lead to positive attitudes towards work, and others lead to negative attitudes" (p. 12). This study focused on the motivational factors that lead to burnout and stress among public school teachers of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Utilizing three scales, Bandura's (1959) Teacher Burnout Scale, Lee's COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, and Seidman and Zager's (1986) Self-efficacy Scale, this research demonstrated that some stress and burnout are present in Hattiesburg, Mississippi teachers, but a majority of participants remained neutral about their levels of stress and burnout. The results suggest a variety of correlations including administrator support, attitudes towards students, and discipline as factors that create burnout among teachers. Minimal COVID-19 anxiety was present but revealed other factors led to stress over COVID-19. Additionally, when stress and burnout are present, teachers show a higher tendency to want to leave their current jobs. [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.]