Using a historical case study design, a study of faculty satisfaction and turnover during a 25-year-period, from 1982 to 2006, was conducted at Salem Academy Christian Schools. Salem Academy is a private, K-12, 3-campus Christian school in Salem, OR that was founded in 1945. At the time the study began there was approximately 530 students enrolled in the entire school system. The focus of the study was at the secondary campus (grades 6-12), where there were about 30 faculty members at the time of the study.

The underlying question of the study asked why so many people came to the school and left in four years or less during the period of 1982 to 2006. Out of a total of 145 individuals who came and left in that time period, 128 (88%) of them came and left in four years or less. Out of the 128 individuals who met the criteria of the study, 29 completed a written questionnaire, which asked questions related to why they left the school in such a short length of time.

The results of the study revealed that the overall level of satisfaction was acceptable to high among a majority of the participants at the time they left Salem Academy. The results also revealed that the two primary reasons people chose to leave were related to compensation and benefits and changes in personal life circumstances.

The results are analyzed and discussed in the context of how important it is to increase faculty longevity and stability at Salem Academy in particular, as well as in the context of how important it is for all Christian school leaders to find ways to increase longevity and stability among faculty members in Christian schools in general.