teacher leadership and teacher retention essay

Information

• Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

• Active Journals
• Find a Journal
• Proceedings Series
• For Authors
• For Reviewers
• For Editors
• For Librarians
• For Publishers
• For Societies
• For Conference Organizers
• Open Access Policy
• Institutional Open Access Program
• Special Issues Guidelines
• Editorial Process
• Research and Publication Ethics
• Article Processing Charges
• Testimonials
• Preprints.org
• SciProfiles
• Encyclopedia

Article Menu

• Subscribe SciFeed
• Recommended Articles
• Author Biographies
• Google Scholar
• on Google Scholar
• Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

Understanding school leadership’s influence on teacher retention in high-poverty settings: an exploratory study in the u.s., 1. introduction.

• Which leadership behaviors does a principal working in a high-poverty U.S. school setting take to improve teacher retention?
• How are these leadership behaviors aligned with and elaborate on quantitative research and surveys commonly used to predict teacher retention?

2. Literature Review

2.1. overview of the teacher retention literature, 2.2. conceptualizing leadership actions that reduce turnover.

• “The school administration’s behavior toward the staff is supportive and encouraging”.
• “My principal enforces school rules for student conduct and backs me up when I need it”.
• “The principal knows what kind of school he or she wants and has communicated it to the staff”.
• “In this school, staff members are recognized for a job well done”.
• “I like the way things are run at this school”. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/questionnaire.asp (accessed on 9 May 2024)

3. Materials and Methods

• Research Setting

3.1. Research Participants

3.2. data collection, 3.2.1. semi-structured interviews, 3.2.2. onsite observations, 3.3. documents, 3.4. data analysis, 3.5. limitations, 4. findings, 4.1. re-affirming the school’s mission to a high-poverty community.

working in a school like Rossdale involves mission work, and if that is not the kind of work you want to do, it’s probably not the place for you. This is a place where you have to care about every kid that comes in your room and you have to care about their background and you have to know where they’re coming from.

I think you have to be a person who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. And that includes going to somebody’s house and picking up a kid and bringing them in. That includes taking somebody home. That includes telling a woman who comes into your office who just got beat up by her husband, you’ve got to go to the women’s shelter. That includes just being able for them to hear you. So, it’s about a relationship. And if you’re not a person who wants to lead through relationships, I don’t think a high-poverty school is the place for you to be.

4.2. Establishing a Culture of Professional Relationships

4.3. recognizing teachers’ work.

I hardly ever have anybody who’s resistant to coming in and talking to me about something if they’re struggling with it. And most of the time they are so relieved that I noticed and that they know they knew they were struggling, but they certainly didn’t want to admit it because it would look like they were admitting a weakness or a flaw or something like that.

4.4. Assisting with Student Behavior Management

I feel like the behaviors are definitely more on the extreme side, at least when I first got here. Since [the current principal has been here], things have improved every year and we don’t see as many extreme behaviors. But my first year was really tough and I saw many things I did not think I would ever see.

We have [behavior] skills that the kids are taught. Like following directions and working with others. The language is all the same and so it’s the same across the classrooms. And then there’s very specific steps that we take when behavior arises and there’s language that deals with all that, too. And there’s types of praise. And so I love it because I feel like praise and being proactive just completely shifts the classroom environment and it keeps a lot of behaviors from happening.

We have so many supports. We have a full-time social worker, we have a psychologist, a school psychologist who’s here half of her time. We have a behavior specialist who is full time permanent sub. So, all of those things work together to provide our kids stability and help with behavior, because when things are predictable and adults are predictable, students don’t act up as much and they start trusting you and knowing that you’ll be there every day and building those bonds.

… a group of people where if somebody is dealing with behavior issues and they get on the walkies, you know, it’s not just going to be one person, it could be one of many. So, there’s a social worker. It could possibly be the principal. And then we have security here. So, depending on what type of a behavior issue it is, if the kids are really acting up and throwing chairs or something like that, then the security officer might come. So, there I’d say that we have quite a large team.

4.5. Summary

5. discussion, future research, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest, appendix a. interview protocols, appendix a.1. teacher—interview round 1.

• How many years have you worked in education?
• How many years have worked in this school?
• Where did you complete your initial training as a classroom teacher?
• What appealed to you about working in this school district?
• Why did you feel this school district was a good fit for you professionally?
• Did anyone specifically recruit you or encourage you to apply?
• How did the principal and the hiring committee work with you throughout the hiring process?
• How were the needs of students in the school and/or professional expectations for working here presented to you?
• What was your initial understanding of the school’s instructional program?
• Were you assigned a mentor when you started your tenure at this school? Would you describe this process during your first two years in the building?
• Did you work with other teachers in your grade-level team or other members of your professional learning community? If so, can you give some examples of how this collaboration supported you?
• Did you have any opportunities to observe other teachers in the building or district? If so, can you please tell me what you learned and/or noted in these observations that influenced your understanding of teaching expectations?
• Can you explain how this professional development informed your instructional practice?
• Can you explain how this professional development informed your understanding of student behavior management?
• Can you explain how this professional development involved your colleagues at this school?
• What feedback do you receive from your principal?
• How frequently is this feedback provided to you?
• Which aspects of the feedback are most helpful?
• How has the principal supported you as a classroom teacher in this school?
• What, if anything, has the principal done to help you improve your teaching?
• What, if anything, has the principal done to impede or prevent your improvement?
• How has this influenced your thinking about staying in the school, if at all?
• What recommendations do you have for teachers and principals working in high-need, low-income school communities?
• Is there anything else you would like to add?

Appendix A.2. Teacher—Interview Round 2

• What support does the principal provide to you to help you work with a high-need, low-income student population?
• What do you wish you would have known then that you know now?
• Can you explain how you were prepared or unprepared for this student population?
• Can you explain your understanding of the school’s curricular focus and instructional methods used when you first started at this school? How are the instructional methods and curricular focus different at this school than in other school communities with fewer high-poverty students?
• Describe how you work with your colleagues in your building.
• How would you describe the building leadership supervision and support of your instructional practice with a lens on supporting a high-need, low-income student population?
• What would you say is the principal’s role in supporting classroom management and instruction?
• What recommendations do you have for leadership programs that are preparing principals to work with high-need, low-income school communities?
• After reflecting on the questions from the first and second interviews, is there anything else you would like to add?

Appendix A.3. Principal—Interview Round 1

• How long have you been involved in education?
• How many years have you been at this school?
• What initially influenced you to come to this school?
• What contributed to your decision to stay?
• How do you describe the student population to candidates for teaching positions (i.e., what do you accentuate or not)?
• How do you give potential candidates a good understanding of the school’s curricular focus and instructional methods used?
• What challenges and/or opportunities of working in this school do you communicate to the candidates?
• Do you schedule opportunities for teachers to work with veteran or “mentor” teachers and other teachers in their grade-level team? Can you give examples?
• Can you explain any opportunities that novice teachers have to observe other teachers in the building or district?
• How, if at all, is professional development differentiated on the basis of the teacher’s experience or needs?
• How have you observed the professional development informing their instructional practice?
• How have you observed the professional development informing their understanding of student behavior management?
• What feedback do you regularly give to your teachers regarding their classroom instruction or student behavior management?
• How frequently is this feedback provided to novice teachers?
• How is your feedback differentiated, if at all?
• What feedback do you believe teachers find most helpful?
• How, if at all, are teachers invited to make or shape instructional decisions in the school?
• How, if at all, are teachers empowered to lead professional learning and/or direct school-wide conversations?
• What feedback do you (or your leadership) often consider directly from your classroom teachers?
• Do you receive feedback regarding the types of supports that teachers feel they need in the classroom? If so, can you give an example?
• What would you say is your role in supporting classroom management and instruction?
• What recommendations do you have for principals working with high-need, low-income school communities?

Appendix A.4. Principal—Interview Round 2

• How have you addressed these challenges?
• How have you tried to provide inspiration for your staff?
• What is the hiring process like when you have vacant positions?
• Can you describe how you give potential candidates a good understanding of the student population they will be working with at this school?
• Are other faculty members included in the hiring process and, if so, in what capacity?
• How do you give potential candidates a good understanding of the school’s curricular focus and the instructional methods used?
• How is consideration given for additional training and support for potential academic and behavioral challenges?
• Will you describe this process during a teacher’s first two years in the building?
• Do you schedule opportunities for teachers to work with a mentor teacher and other teachers in their grade-level team? Can you give examples?
• Can you explain how this professional development informs their instructional practice?
• Can you explain how this professional development informs their understanding of student behavior management?
• Can you explain how this professional development involves all teachers at this school?
• What feedback, if any, do you give to your teachers regarding family support systems?
• Which aspects of the community relationship building process do you feel are most helpful?
• Can you give examples of times your teachers have been given opportunities to influence the school’s instructional decisions and behavior management strategies?
• Can you give examples of times teachers have led the learning at faculty meetings?
• Can you give examples of feedback and/or suggestions that you have considered from your teachers?
• What would you say is the principal’s role in supporting classroom management and instruction in a high-need, low-income school community?
• What recommendations or advice do you have for principals working with high-need, low-income school communities?
• Simon, N.; Johnson, S.M. Teacher turnover in high-poverty schools: What we know and can do. Teach. Coll. Rec. 2015 , 117 , 1–36. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Allen, R.; Sims, S. Do pupils from low-income families get low-quality teachers? Indirect evidence from English schools. Oxf. Rev. Educ. 2018 , 44 , 441–458. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Allensworth, E.; Ponisciak, S.; Mazzeo, C. The Schools Teachers Leave: Teacher Mobility in Chicago Public Schools; Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute. 2009. Available online: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED505882.pdf (accessed on 1 March 2023).
• Clotfelter, C.; Ladd, H.F.; Vigdor, J.; Wheeler, J. High-poverty schools and the distribution of teachers and principals. NCL Rev. 2007 , 85 , 1345–1379. [ Google Scholar ]
• Podolsky, A.; Kini, T.; Darling-Hammond, L. Does teaching experience increase teacher effectiveness? A review of US research. J. Prof. Cap. Community 2019 , 4 , 286–308. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Rockoff, J.E. The impact of individual teachers on student achievement: Evidence from panel data. Am. Econ. Rev. 2004 , 94 , 247–252. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chetty, R.; Friedman, J.N.; Rockoff, J.E. Measuring the impacts of teachers II: Teacher value-added and student outcomes in adulthood. Am. Econ. Rev. 2014 , 104 , 2633–2679. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Camelo, R.; Ponczek, V. Teacher turnover and financial incentives in underprivileged schools: Evidence from a compensation policy in a developing country. Econ. Educ. Rev. 2021 , 80 , 102067. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Ronfeldt, M.; Loeb, S.; Wyckoff, J. How teacher turnover harms student achievement. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2013 , 50 , 4–36. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Sorensen, L.C.; Ladd, H.F. The hidden costs of teacher turnover. AERA Open 2020 , 6 , 2332858420905812. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Cohodes, S.; Goldhaber, D.; Hill, P.; Ho, A.; Kogan, V.; Polikoff, M.; Sampson, C.; West, M. Student Achievement Gaps and the Pandemic: A New Review of Evidence from 2021–2022 ; Center on Reinventing Public Education: Bothell, WA, USA, 2022. [ Google Scholar ]
• Sutcher, L.; Darling-Hammond, L.; Carver-Thomas, D. A Coming Crisis in Teaching? Teacher Supply, Demand, and Shortages in the U. S. ; Learning Policy Institute: Palo Alto, CA, USA, 2016. [ Google Scholar ]
• Fuller, E.J. Trends in Enrollment in US Teacher Preparation Programs: 2009–2021 ; (Research Brief 2023-6); Penn State Center for Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis: University Park, PA, USA, 2022; Available online: https://ceepablog.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/trends-in-enrollment-in-us-tpp-enrollment-penn-state-ceepa-may-2023-final.pdf (accessed on 1 December 2023).
• Ladd, H.F. Teachers’ perceptions of their working conditions: How predictive of planned and actual teacher movement? Educ. Eval. Policy Anal. 2011 , 33 , 235–261. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kraft, M.A.; Lyon, M.A. The Rise and Fall of the Teaching Profession: Prestige, Interest, Preparation, and Satisfaction over the Last Half Century ; EdWorkingPaper: 22-679; Annenberg Institute at Brown University: Providence, RI, USA, 2022. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Perrone, F.; Meyers, C.V. A Review of the Research on Teacher Hiring in the United States (2001–2021). J. Educ. Hum. Resour. 2023 . [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Nguyen, T.D.; Pham, L.D.; Crouch, M.; Springer, M.G. The correlates of teacher turnover: An updated and expanded meta-analysis of the literature. Educ. Res. Rev. 2020 , 31 , 100355. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Perrone, F. Leadership and teacher retention. In Routledge Encyclopedia of Education ; Fisher, D., Ed.; Routledge: London, UK, 2022. [ Google Scholar ]
• Boyd, D.; Grossman, P.; Ing, M.; Lankford, H.; Loeb, S.; Wyckoff, J. The influence of school administrators on teacher retention decisions. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2011 , 48 , 303–333. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Sims, S.; Jerrim, J. TALIS 2018: Teacher Working Conditions, Turnover and Attrition ; Department for Education Statistical Working Paper; Department for Education: London, UK, 2020. [ Google Scholar ]
• Guarino, C.M.; Santibanez, L.; Daley, G.A. Teacher recruitment and retention: A review of the recent empirical literature. Rev. Educ. Res. 2006 , 76 , 173–208. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Borman, G.D.; Dowling, N.M. Teacher attrition and retention: A meta-analytic and narrative review of the research. Rev. Educ. Res. 2008 , 78 , 367–409. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Bryk, A.S.; Sebring, P.B.; Allensworth, E.; Luppescu, S.; Easton, J.Q. Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago ; University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA, 2010. [ Google Scholar ]
• Billingsley, B.S. Teacher retention and attrition-in special and general education: A critical review of the literature. J. Spec. Educ. 1993 , 27 , 137–174. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Redding, C.; Booker, L.N.; Smith, T.M.; Desimone, L.M. School administrators’ direct and indirect influences on middle school math teachers’ turnover. J. Educ. Adm. 2019 , 57 , 708–730. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Grissom, J.A. Can good principals keep teachers in disadvantaged schools? Linking principal effectiveness to teacher satisfaction and turnover in hard-to-staff environments. Teach. Coll. Rec. 2011 , 113 , 2552–2585. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kelly, S.; Northrop, L. Early career outcomes for the “best and the brightest” selectivity, satisfaction, and attrition in the beginning teacher longitudinal survey. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2015 , 52 , 624–656. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kim, J. How principal leadership seems to affect early career teacher turnover. Am. J. Educ. 2019 , 126 , 101–137. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Grissom, J.A.; Bartanen, B.; Mitani, H. Principal sorting and the distribution of principal quality. AERA Open 2019 , 5 , 1–21. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Stuit, D.A.; Smith, T.M. Explaining the gap in charter and traditional public school teacher turnover rates. Econ. Educ. Rev. 2012 , 31 , 268–279. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Sims, S. TALIS 2013: Working Conditions, Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention ; Department for Education Statistical Working Paper; Department of Education: London, UK, 2017. [ Google Scholar ]
• Johnson, S.M.; Kraft, M.A.; Papay, J.P. How context matters in high-need schools: The effects of teachers’ working conditions on their professional satisfaction and their students’ achievement. Teach. Coll. Rec. 2012 , 114 , 1–39. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Tickle, B.R.; Chang, M.; Kim, S. Administrative support and its mediating effect on US public school teachers. Teach. Teach. Educ. 2011 , 27 , 342–349. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Olsen, A.; Huang, F. Teacher job satisfaction by principal support and teacher cooperation: Results from the schools and staffing survey. Educ. Policy Anal. Arch. 2019 , 27 , 11. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• DeMatthews, D.; Carrola, P.; Reyes, P.; Knight, D. School leadership burnout and job-related stress: Recommendations for district administrators and principals. Clear. House A J. Educ. Strateg. Issues Ideas 2021 , 94 , 159–167. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Qin, L. Country effects on teacher turnover intention: A multilevel, cross-national analysis. Educ. Res. Policy Pract. 2021 , 20 , 79–105. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chenoweth, K. How It’s Being Done: Urgent Lessons from Unexpected Schools ; Harvard Education Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2009. [ Google Scholar ]
• Loeb, S.; Darling-Hammond, L.; Luczak, J. Teacher turnover: The role of working conditions and salaries in recruiting and retaining teachers. Peabody J. Educ. 2005 , 80 , 44–70. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Marinell, W.H.; Coca, V.M. Who Stays and Who Leaves? Findings from a Three-Part Study of Teacher Turnover in NYC Middle Schools ; Research Alliance for New York City Schools: New York, NY, USA, 2013; Available online: http://media.ranycs.org/2013/003 (accessed on 9 May 2024).
• Liebowitz, D.D.; Porter, L. The effect of principal behaviors on student, teacher, and school outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Rev. Educ. Res. 2019 , 89 , 785–827. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Husain, A.N.; Miller, L.C.; Player, D.W. Principal turnover: Using teacher-assessments of principal quality to understand who leaves the principalship. Educ. Adm. Q. 2021 , 57 , 683–715. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Grissom, J.A.; Egalite, A.J.; Lindsay, C.A. How Principals Affect Students and Schools ; Wallace Foundation: New York, NY, USA, 2021; Available online: https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/How-Principals-Affect-Students-and-Schools.pdf (accessed on 1 March 2023).
• Ingersoll, R.M. Teacher turnover and teacher shortages: An organizational analysis. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2001 , 38 , 499–534. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Player, D.; Youngs, P.; Perrone, F.; Grogan, E. How principal leadership and person-job fit are associated with teacher mobility and attrition. Teach. Teach. Educ. 2017 , 67 , 330–339. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kraft, M.A.; Marinell, W.H.; Shen-Wei Yee, D. School organizational contexts, teacher turnover, and student achievement: Evidence from panel data. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2016 , 53 , 1411–1449. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Brown, K.M.; Wynn, S.R. Finding, supporting, and keeping: The role of the principal in teacher retention issues. Leadersh. Policy Sch. 2009 , 8 , 37–63. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Scallon, A.M.; Bristol, T.J.; Esboldt, J. Teachers’ perceptions of principal leadership practices that influence teacher turnover. J. Res. Leadersh. Educ. 2023 , 18 , 80–102. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Johnson, S.M.; Birkeland, S.E. Pursuing a “sense of success”: New teachers explain their career decisions. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2003 , 40 , 581–617. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Gonzalez, L.E.; Brown, M.S.; Slate, J.R. Teachers who left the teaching profession: A qualitative understanding. Qual. Rep. 2008 , 13 , 1–11. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Billingsley, B.; Bettini, E. Special education teacher attrition and retention: A review of the literature. Rev. Educ. Res. 2019 , 89 , 697–744. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kraft, M.A.; Conklin, M.L.; Falken, G.T. Preferences, Inequities, and Incentives in the Substitute Teacher Labor Market ; National Bureau of Economic Research: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2022; (No. w30713). [ Google Scholar ]
• Pogodzinski, B.; Youngs, P.; Frank, K.A.; Belman, D. Administrative climate and novices’ intent to remain teaching. Elem. Sch. J. 2012 , 113 , 252–275. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Torres, A.C. The uncertainty of high expectations: How principals influence relational trust and teacher turnover in no excuses charter schools. J. Sch. Leadersh. 2016 , 26 , 61–91. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Blasé, J.; Kirby, P.C. Bringing Out the Best in Teachers: What Effective Principals Do ; Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2008. [ Google Scholar ]

Share and Cite

Lochmiller, C.R.; Perrone, F.; Finley, C. Understanding School Leadership’s Influence on Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Settings: An Exploratory Study in the U.S. Educ. Sci. 2024 , 14 , 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050545

Lochmiller CR, Perrone F, Finley C. Understanding School Leadership’s Influence on Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Settings: An Exploratory Study in the U.S. Education Sciences . 2024; 14(5):545. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050545

Lochmiller, Chad R., Frank Perrone, and Chris Finley. 2024. "Understanding School Leadership’s Influence on Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Settings: An Exploratory Study in the U.S." Education Sciences 14, no. 5: 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050545

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Taylor & Francis Online
• Taylor & Francis Group
• Students/Researchers
• Librarians/Institutions

Connect with us

Registered in England & Wales No. 3099067 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG © 2024 Informa UK Limited

Teacher Retention: Preventing Teacher Turnover

Teachers play an essential role in American society, educating young people—the country’s future—on a variety of topics, including mathematics, English literature, world history, and science. Despite its significance, the profession is experiencing a major workforce shortage as teacher retention becomes increasingly difficult. 

A 2022 poll conducted by the National Education Association (NEA) found that 55 percent of educators plan to leave the education field sooner than they had expected to, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. What makes this statistic troubling is the evidence that high teacher turnover negatively affects student achievement. Education leaders should develop retention strategies to turn these figures around.

Teacher Turnover Rates

Studies show that many teachers aren’t just leaving one school for another. Instead, they’re leaving the field altogether. Nearly 1 in 4 respondents in the Rand Corporation’s “2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey” stated they were likely to walk away from teaching by the end of the 2020-21 academic year, contributing to the nationwide teacher shortage. In an attempt to determine why the American education system struggles to maintain a steady workforce, governmental and nongovernmental bodies have conducted studies and surveys.

The NEA poll cited several issues that may spur teachers to leave the profession in the next several years. According to the poll:

• Burnout is an issue of some seriousness for 90 percent of the polled educators
• Low pay is a serious issue for 78 percent, with 49 percent calling it a “very serious” issue
• The general stress from the coronavirus pandemic is still a very serious concern for 61 percent
• Lack of respect from the public and parents as well as a lack of planning is a very serious concern for 44 percent 

Some of these issues have been prime forces behind teacher turnover, such as pay. However, the unique stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the level of strain exacted on teachers. A significant amount of this stress comes from the pandemic’s byproducts, such as having to cover for a higher-than-normal level of colleagues and not being able to devote as much one-on-one teaching time to their students.

Why Is Teacher Retention Important?

Improving teacher retention serves to improve the education system as a whole. Teacher turnover is costly, as new teachers must be recruited and trained. If fewer teachers were replaced, then, instead of financing recruitment and training, school districts could spend money on new programs or technology for students. Higher teacher retention means less financial strain and more investment in the tools children need to learn.

Retention disparities can also result in differences in public education that leave select students behind. Low-income students tend to be particularly impacted by this disparity: A fall 2021 study conducted in Washington state schools indicated that teacher vacancies are substantially greater in high-poverty school districts. Given the drawbacks of high turnover, children in underprivileged school districts are more adversely affected than their counterparts in wealthier districts. Increasing teacher retention can support greater equality across the US education system.

High turnover rates create constant flux, making it significantly more difficult to institute changes in education policies. Experienced teachers who are familiar with the needs of a school and its students are best poised to provide advice on how to meet those needs. When they leave, these voices are lost, and education policy suffers, as senior education administrators no longer receive their feedback on the success (or failure) of different initiatives. Reducing turnover and reliance on temporary substitutes is an integral step toward shaping education policies informed by firsthand insights into local communities.

How Does Teacher Retention Impact Students? 

Losing experienced instructors to teacher turnover has a direct impact on students. A beloved educator can serve as a role model or mentor. For some children, the disappearance of such a figure can be discouraging and result in a loss of engagement. They may become less inclined to participate in class, leading to a drop in their grades and test scores.

Losing educational staff also increases reliance on substitute teachers, who tend to have less experience and lower credentials compared with full-time educators. Qualified teachers know how to create lesson plans that adhere to a set curriculum while keeping students engaged and excited. Most substitutes don’t teach regularly and may be less equipped to create engaging lesson plans. When teachers leave midyear, substitutes may struggle to successfully take over.

Poor teacher retention has been shown to negatively impact students’ educational achievement, according to the Learning Policy Institute. A 2020 study published by AERA Open found that high teacher turnover yielded notable drops in the academic performance of middle school students, particularly in reading and math.Future leaders can introduce policies to address these factors impeding teacher retention.

Strategies to Improve Teacher Retention

Improving teacher retention can directly benefit school systems and students. As principals, superintendents, and other education policymakers try to lower turnover rates and keep high-quality educators, teacher retention strategies have emerged.

Education leaders should focus on the following areas to help stem the tide of teacher turnover:

• Mentorship : Teachers who are assigned mentors in their first year are more likely to return in their second year. Mentorship programs pair new teachers with experienced ones, providing new teachers with access to advice on navigating the daily challenges of the profession.
• Compensation : When teachers are adequately paid, they are more likely to remain in their positions. Promotion schemes and pay raises can be part of integral teacher retention strategies. Professionals need to see the potential room for growth in their field.
• Teaching conditions : Working conditions in schools can be affected by access to technology and supplies, as well as basic amenities such as air conditioning. School districts can consider increasing their budgets for these expenses to improve overall satisfaction among their teachers.
• School climate: Teachers experiencing burnout may feel as though the burden of education rests squarely on their shoulders. When schools strive to build a culture of positivity and supportive teamwork, these feelings of isolation—and the tension and conflict such feelings may foster—can dissipate.
• Autonomy and growth opportunities: School districts can allow teachers to apply their skills to developing educational strategies that play to their strengths as an educator. Doing so not only can make them more comfortable in their role, but it can also enable them to grow stronger in the role. This in turn can prepare them to take on leadership roles in education.

How a Master of Education Can Advance Your Career 

Those interested in shaping education policies and improving teacher retention should consider pursuing a graduate degree in the field. American University’s online Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership and online Master of Arts in Teaching , for example, can open the door to senior-level positions, including school principal, administrator, and superintendent, that provide opportunities to effect real institutional change. 

Courses such as Education Program and Policy Implementation and Educational Leadership and Organizational Change equip students with the knowledge and skills to lead in education and improve learning environments. Learn how our program can prepare you to broaden your horizons in a crucial field.

Public Speaking Tips for Teachers and Educators

MEd vs. MAT: Developing Leadership Styles in Education

What’s Next After a Master’s Degree? Careers in Education Policy

AERA Open, “The Hidden Costs of Teacher Turnover”

American Youth Policy Forum, “Where Are All the Teachers? Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and the Impact on Equity”

Center for Education Data & Research, “School District Staffing Challenges in a Rapidly Recovering Economy”

The Education Trust, “Getting Black Students Better Access to Non-Novice Teachers”

Forbes , “Number of Teachers Quitting the Classroom After Just One Year Hits All-Time High”

Forbes , “Why Teachers Are Leaving and Where They’re Going”

Learning Policy Institute, “Teacher Shortages Take Center Stage”

National Education Association, “Poll Results: Stress and Burnout Pose Threat of Educator Shortages”

National Education Association, “Survey: Alarming Number of Educators May Soon Leave the Profession”

Rand Corporation, “Job-Related Stress Threatens the Teacher Supply”

Request Information

AU Program Helper

This AI chatbot provides automated responses, which may not always be accurate. By continuing with this conversation, you agree that the contents of this chat session may be transcribed and retained. You also consent that this chat session and your interactions, including cookie usage, are subject to our  privacy policy .

• be_ixf; php_sdk; php_sdk_1.4.9
• iy_2024; im_07; id_26; ih_09; imh_45; i_epoch:1.72201233859E+12
• ixf-compiler; ixf-compiler_1.0.0.0
• py_2024; pm_07; pd_09; ph_07; pmh_12; p_epoch:1.72053432244E+12
• link-block; link-block_link-block; bodystr
• pn_tstr:Tue Jul 09 07:12:02 PST 2024; pn_epoch:1.72053432244E+12

Popular Searches

• Academic Calendar
• Course Schedule
• Admitted Students
• Current Students
• Alumni and Friends
• Faculty and Staff
• Event Planning

Home » Blog » Teacher Retention: How to Keep the Best from Leaving

Teacher Retention: How to Keep the Best from Leaving

CHALKING THE LINE | BY DEBRA MEYER  | 8 MIN READ

Teaching and learning have changed fundamentally since the last Chalking the Line blog post. For the first time in their careers, many teachers interacted with their students remotely, including saying goodbye for the school year virtually.

Looking forward to the possibilities of late-summer school openings, there are myriad unanswered questions about when schools will open, how classrooms can be safe from the coronavirus, and if all teachers will be returning. The possibility of teachers choosing not to return to the profession this fall could create an unprecedented shortage just as schools need more teachers, given the limitations on class size due to social distancing.

In my last post, I discussed how to attract new teachers to the profession . Most of this fall’s new teachers had their student teaching experiences interrupted, and many did not student teach due to the pandemic. While we know the challenges that typically face teachers in their first few years, we can only guess how teaching in a “COVID-safe school” or remotely will elevate those challenges to new levels.

What we desperately need is to keep the best teachers in the classroom with the students—especially now, when students’ education is being disrupted and, for some, is not being provided. Teacher retention is every bit as critical to the future of education as recruiting new people to the profession.

Since the idea of teachers leaving creates the image of a door closing behind them, I propose four “doors” to help explain why good teachers leave the classroom. I’ll also discuss how opening these doors could keep the best teachers in the classroom for long, successful careers.

The Revolving Door of New Teachers

In recent years, states have begun to address the increasing teacher shortages in their schools. But one obstacle persists: most new teachers will leave within a few years, creating a revolving door. As Nick Morrison reported in Forbes a year ago, only a third of teachers stay in the profession past the first five years .

While we know a lot about new teachers’ decisions to stay and leave the profession, we have not acted on this knowledge to improve teacher retention in comprehensive ways.

New teachers are expected to perform all the responsibilities of an experienced teacher on Day 1 while simultaneously adjusting to a position in a 24/7 profession. They often secure teaching positions in the most under-resourced schools and with little support other than additional requirements to attend extra meetings and professional development sessions that add to their overbooked schedules.

Without developing resilience, the only coping strategy for two-thirds of these new teachers seems to be leaving the profession before their student loans are paid. In the context of the current pandemic’s new stressors on teachers, the revolving door for new teachers may spin faster in the next few years unless we are able to support them in new ways.

To stop this revolving door, the same old induction, mentoring, and class assignment structures need to be re-examined and customized for the current time.

The Soundproof Door Blocking Teachers’ Voices

One of the leading experts on tracking changing trends in teacher demographics in the United States is Richard Ingersoll, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In a 2015 NPR interview , he explained that the major reason people leave teaching is that they do not have input into their own professional practice. In other words, they want to be able to make professional decisions about what happens in their classrooms.

Ingersoll described it this way:

One of the main factors is the issue of voice, and having say, and being able to have input into the key decisions in the building that affect a teacher’s job. This is something that is a hallmark of professions. It’s something that teachers usually have very little of, but it does vary across schools and it’s very highly correlated with the decision whether to stay or leave.

Giving teachers autonomy and voice in their teaching unlocks their creativity, expertise, and experience. But what does it mean to have teacher voice ?

Russell J. Quaglia and Lisa L. Lande wrote in their 2016 book, “ Teacher Voice: Amplifying Success ,” that teacher voice “is being able to speak openly about your opinions, ideas, and suggestions in an environment that is driven by trust, collaboration, and responsibility. Teacher voice is about listening to others, learning from what is being said, and leading by taking action together.”

Teachers whose voices are heard will want to stay in the profession because they will feel valued and will generate solutions rather than only respond to problems.

The Glass Door to Teacher Leadership

Many teachers also leave because they have been shut out of collaborative decision-making.

A recent report by the National Board for Professional Teaching stated that 60% of teachers believed “opportunities for additional responsibility and advancement while staying in the classroom” was very important or absolutely essential. (The full report is linked at the end of this post.)

There are many ways in which teachers can lead change, formally or informally. And the opportunity for teacher leadership motivates even the newest of teachers.

Like the “glass ceiling” metaphor, the glass door to teacher leadership needs to be smashed so teachers have the chance to lead and make a difference outside of their classrooms.

Teacher leaders make a difference by supporting equity and quality education for all students. Teachers who find opportunities to lead are able to create meaningful career pathways and stay in education.

The Stuck Door to Change

The pandemic has presented a lot of different mandates for change. If teachers are going to provide students with high-quality education and continuity in their education, even when learning remotely or in socially distanced classrooms, then they can no longer “do school” in the same ways.

I believe there is a misconception about educators that they are somehow against change. I have found that teachers are very “pro” change when it is meaningful, collaborative, and innovative. They get excited about new ideas that will help their students learn, develop socially and emotionally, and enjoy collaborative brainstorming and problem-solving.

Why is there a stuck door to change? Because it is not meaningful change. Rather, the change too often comes in the form of the latest top-down mandate or book-of-the-month idea. When change gets “unstuck” then teachers have become the agents of change.

As George Couros wrote on his popular blog , school is very different today and is becoming even more complex, which is why teachers need to be the change agents, because their roles are quickly evolving. Being a change agent means leaning into possibility. This is an exciting role for teachers—and a door that the best teachers would want to enter on a regular basis.

Two Keys to Keeping the Best Teachers

1. Teachers need to be flexibly organized into collaborative and differentiated professional teams.

Professional teams need to be more than the common practice of organizing teachers by department or grade level. Reconceptualizing how teachers might combine their expertise and leverage it most effectively is essential to student learning as well as to teacher professional development and collective efficacy.

One way to best support new teachers is to have them work on teams with a variety of experience levels and expertise—where they also can make a unique contribution.

This promotes teacher retention at all career phases because the teachers feel they are members of something larger than themselves—working to support all students collectively. In pandemic times, this means students are being supported by a team, not a single teacher. It’s a powerful way to stop the revolving door and promoting more opportunities for teacher leadership.

2. Teachers need to lead innovation in their schools .

Distributive leadership is a well-known term in education, describing the ways in which collaborative administrator-teacher teams work on school goals that support student success.

While this instructional leadership model is commendable, the goals of the leadership team are not necessarily innovative or teacher-driven, and not everyone is involved. Having a voice and a position as change agents is how teachers can unlock doors, but especially those that have been soundproofed or stuck for too long.

The many barriers in the teaching profession need to be replaced with open doors through which teachers share their ideas, support each other, and lead in innovative ways.

Our students deserve to be supported by teams of teachers who are dedicated to their success and well-being. Teachers who trust each other and are committed to continuous professional growth. Just opening the door and letting teachers do what they want to do and already do best—the things that attracted them to teaching—will keep them in a meaningful and exciting profession.

Further Reading

• Read the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ Teacher Leadership in Uncertain Times (May 2020).
• Read Ingersoll and his colleagues’ recent report on Trends in the Teaching Profession (Updated October 2018).

Learn More About Elmhurst University

If you have a passion for teaching, develop your skills at Elmhurst University. We offer the M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership and other advanced degree options in education. Use the form below to let us know you are interested!

About the Author

Illustration by Josie Portillo Posted June 16, 2020

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education

April 23, 2024 | 9 Minute Read

The Importance of Representing Everyone in Today’s Classroom

January 30, 2024 | 8 Minute Read

Does Dual Language Bilingual Education Promote Equity?

November 21, 2023 | 10 Minute Read

Engaging Families in Schools Today

October 24, 2023 | 7 Minute Read

The Science of Reading

September 26, 2023 | 10 Minute Read

What is Instructional Coaching?

August 15, 2023 | 6 Minute Read

5 Things to Put on your Teacher Mental Health Checklist

February 7, 2023 | 5 Minute Read

Integrating Math Education with Other Subjects Adds Up to Stronger Lessons

April 12, 2022 | 5 Minute Read

How to Thank a Teacher

November 23, 2021 | 7 Minute Read

What Makes a Great Teacher Mentor?

November 2, 2021 | 5 Minute Read

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Connect with #elmhurstu

Voices | Diversity and Equity

What i need from my white peers to thrive as a teacher of color, by fatema elbakoury     jul 24, 2024.

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

During my first two years of teaching, I dealt with many situations that left me feeling downtrodden, broken and totally drained. For example, one day, I was sitting in my classroom in full panic mode as I tried to figure out how to create a graphic organizer for my students’ first essay. When an idea finally crossed my mind, and as I was about to write down my thoughts, a student stormed in and refused to leave. The more I told them they had to leave and head back to their class, the more their voice rose as they declared they, “hate their teacher.”

Another incident that I remember was when students came into my class at a time when I didn’t teach them. When these students arrived, they told me this teacher “sucks” and how mean that teacher was to them. Later, I saw a message from that same teacher whose class they had left saying, “______ are on their way to your class.”

The common denominator in each of these situations is that every student who came to me was a student of color. The demographics at this school were approximately 60 percent Latino, 20 percent Pacific Islander and 20 percent Black. All the teachers they were trying to avoid were white.

Over the course of my first year back from the “Zoom Year,” the pattern became clear to me: Students of color did not feel safe with their white teachers. All of these teachers — and I mean all — seemed more invested in shirking the responsibility of supporting these students onto the teachers these students felt safer around instead of figuring out how to become the safe space these students needed. This harmed me as much as the students.

White teachers have been avoiding the work of loving students of color for so long, and when that work disproportionately falls on teachers of color, they are more likely to leave education , creating a less diverse workplace that increasingly denies students accurate reflections of themselves.

People like myself deserve safe schools so we can last in this profession and be the best versions of ourselves in service of our students, and this is what I want white teachers to do in order for us teachers of color to thrive in this profession.

Seek Consent

When that teacher messaged me about their students, I would have loved it if they'd waited until I responded so I could ask, “Why?” What I would have loved here is consent , an ardent agreement between both of us that this student can come into my space. I would have loved transparency on the part of that teacher.

In my classroom, I treat students as humans first, not obstacles to classroom management. I am clear and honest when I know I am wrong, and I say sorry. What if, instead, I was given an opportunity to share my approach to student relationships with that teacher so they could work on their practice? What if that teacher, the student in question and I sat down together and had a consensual conversation with the student to better understand their needs? What had they done or said in their classroom that day that made this student feel unsafe? I would have felt like my autonomy and humanity were being honored because I would get to advocate for not only the student but myself.

This would require a school culture rooted in these kinds of consensual conversations, from consent over a quick hallway conversation to consent to unpack and work through the most egregious harm. Consent would have to be introduced and studied beyond the typical conversations about health and integrated into every aspect of our social interactions with each other as professionals.

Build Empathy

No one is going to get it right all the time in education. Even when we share the same identities as students, every single one of us will let many students down over the course of our time as educators. We will also let each other down, but we are in the work of being openly human all the time, and that’s okay. What matters most is how much empathy we have when we’re faced with the impact of our actions.

I want white teachers to treat me as a human being and to remember that I am just as tired as they are, if not more. I want white teachers to know I am also struggling to figure out how to help our students with the highest needs.

I remember one time I had a student who watched a neighbor get shot and killed over winter break. I was heartbroken for the student, whose return to school after the incident was incredibly rocky; his externalizing behaviors were disruptive and supporting him required the help of multiple adults. I did not know how to help a lot of the time, and yet, white teachers would let him walk out of his classroom to me as if I had more answers than they did. All I did was remember that he had been through a lot when I talked to him.

In all the situations where white teachers have pushed their work on me, what hurt the most was I genuinely felt they had no empathy for me. Had they ever wondered what it would be like for me, a first-year teacher of color, to take on so much when I was still trying to figure this job out — when I was also deeply hurting for my students experiencing trauma — the same way mine was at their age?

This would require a school culture where regular perspective-taking is happening so we can understand each other. In building this school culture, I reflect on the following questions:

• What factors did I neglect to consider when I committed this harm?
• What might this person be experiencing that I can’t understand because of my identity?
• What is this experience teaching me about myself right now?

This, too, requires a culture of empathy and acceptance of our humanity.

Show Humility

Finally, I want white teachers to say sorry. So many white teachers are so invested in their image of being “nice” in an attempt to field off their power that they forget our humanity. Their focus on overcompensating for their power by being polite results in a disproportionate emphasis on their self-image as opposed to the impact of their actions. I believe this misplaced energy results in a loss of humanity as they consequently cannot be present and empathetic enough to acknowledge the impact of their negligence.

I want white teachers to admit this to themselves. Instead of denying their power, I want them to recognize its enormity. I want them to sit with this power, to admit to themselves that they did not leverage it in an empathetic manner and, as a result, caused extraordinary harm. Then, I want them to apologize for all the harm they’ve caused. Specifically, I would want their sorry to sound like this:

“I was racist. I pushed this student on to you because I didn’t and still don’t know how to support them. I wasn’t thinking about how hard this would be for you. I am ready to do the work to regain their trust and yours. How can I do that?”

I believe this would require a top-down culture where the administration is the first to model this level of humility during staff-wide meetings and one-on-one interactions. We need to see leadership where humility is modeled and expected from every staff member.

Building a Future for Teachers of Color

How much can I really take on? I reckon with this every day because the reality is that if I care about students of color, I have to be willing to encourage the betterment of all the people they interface with, including my white counterparts. Knowing this, I want to offer what I’ve seen work with white teachers who haven’t made me feel small or dehumanized.

I’ve seen regular meetings for white teachers in affinity spaces to work on their racial identities . I’ve seen teachers who have successfully created self-sufficient classrooms and can afford to step outside with one student and have authentic restorative conversations when harm is caused. I’ve seen white teachers who recognize their racial power by positioning themselves between security and students when conflicts escalate.

I’ve also had white teachers who have recognized the imbalance of responsibilities placed on me and the power they hold compared to me. They’ve used that power to advocate for me with admin and colleagues. This has made me feel seen and has allowed me to preserve my energy for my students as opposed to defending myself against coworkers.

In all these situations, my white colleagues did not pretend to have less power than they had. In fact, they recognized it and leveraged this power so the work of loving and supporting our students in all their humanity is as equitably distributed as possible.

Because of all these positive experiences, I know it is possible — with consent, humility and empathy — to create a dynamic between teachers rooted in mutual love and care. Students of color know when their teachers of color aren’t loved. They can see it in our weariness, frustration and impatience in the same way we can see their pain on their hard days.

Imagine a world where a teacher of color feels safe going to work, and, as a result, can give her best to her students. In that world, our retention is possible. In that world, students see a future for themselves where they, too, are loved and honored. When teachers support each other by truly caring for each other, that future is possible.

This story is part of an EdSurge series chronicling diverse educator experiences. These stories are made publicly available with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative . EdSurge maintains editorial control over all content. (Read our ethics statement here .) This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Fatema Elbakoury (she/her) is a high school English language arts teacher at June Jordan School for Equity in San Francisco.

More from EdSurge

Teacher Preparation

What future teachers can tell us about why people enter the profession today, by emily tate sullivan.

Diversity and Equity

Black families turn to microschools and homeschool for ‘safety’ in education, by daniel mollenkamp.

How Schools Can Better Support Military Children and Families

By jessica saum.

Principals Aren’t Encouraged to Be Vulnerable. That Needs to Change.

By noelani gabriel holt.

Journalism that ignites your curiosity about education.

EdSurge is an editorially independent project of and

• Product Index
• Write for us
• Advertising

FOLLOW EDSURGE

© 2024 All Rights Reserved