One Size Does Not Fit All: How Leadership Strategies Affect Teacher Satisfaction and Retention

Abstract

Teacher retention rates continue to plummet at schools across the nation. A principal at Sunnyside Elementary watches firsthand as the revolving door of teachers increases significantly in her brief 3 years of leadership at this school. Once well-known and highly regarded at an award-winning school in the northeast, the principal struggles to delegate, communicate, and acclimate to a high-needs school in the southeastern United States. Yet the practices that worked so well in the northeast sends many of her teachers to search for greener pastures year after year. This case study examines leadership for retention, including communication, organizational climate, and relationship development.

Keywords

teacher shortage teacher administrator relationships organizational climate

Case Narrative

Introduction and Background

Debbie Smith is currently the principal of Sunnyside Elementary School, which is in a southeastern urban community. Debbie is a White female in her early 50s. She has more than 30 years of experience in education, with 20 of those years serving as an administrator. Debbie taught third and fourth grade for 10 years before becoming an administrator. Most of her educational career took place in Pennsylvania. She was highly recognized in her previous school district for her leadership skills and successes. While in Pennsylvania, Debbie won awards for her excellent school leadership in some of the highest performing and most well-known elementary schools in the western part of the state. She was recognized for her ability to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. Debbie and her husband moved to this southeastern community because of a job opportunity for her husband. Her two children currently attend a nearby university, and both are majoring in education.

Debbie has been the principal at Sunnyside Elementary School for the past 3 years and is currently in her fourth year as the school leader. Sunnyside Elementary serves 664 students and has 51 teachers, including related arts, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), special education, and kindergarten through fifth grade. Sunnyside Elementary is a high-needs school. More than 70% of the students receive free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL). Students exhibit difficulty with self-regulation, resulting in intense and frequent behavior problems. Behaviors typically include running from the classroom, use of profanity, and aggression toward teachers or other students, causing a high rate of out-of-school suspensions. Over the past 3 years, out-of-school suspensions have increased from an average of 2% to more than 4%. Due to rapid urban expansion—an increase in new businesses and expensive housing being developed to grow the geographic range of the city—and the accompanying population growth, the student population has diversified. Currently, there are 49% male and 51% of female students in the population, with 50% of students identifying as Hispanic/Latino, 34.2% of students identifying as Black/African American, 3.2% of students identifying as biracial or multiracial, and 10.9% of students identifying as White/Caucasian (see Figure 1). The percentage of students who qualify for and receive special education services at Sunnyside Elementary is 17%, slightly higher than the district average of 14%.

Figure 1.

Student demographics.

Sunnyside Elementary School is ranked 447 out of 660 elementary schools in the state, as measured by high-stakes test scores. Decreasing test scores over the past 5 years have landed the school on the district’s list of the top 10 lowest performing schools. South Carolina’s Department of Education identifies all successful student performance on state assessments as a single category “Meets or Exceeds.” Over the past 3 years, the percentage of Sunnyside students in the “Meets or Exceeds” category has remained stagnant, with little or decreased growth (see Table 1). Consequently, Debbie is under tremendous pressure from the district to improve test scores. She must participate in monthly meetings to review data and strategies with the school leadership team, superintendent, and other district personnel.

Table 1.

Standardized Test Scores.

SC READY test scores (meets or exceeds)
Grade level	2016–2017		2017–2018		2018–2019
Grade level	ELA (%)	Mathematics (%)	ELA (%)	Mathematics (%)	ELA (%)	Mathematics (%)
Third	31.00	56.60	24.50	29.10	17.20	28.60
Fourth	19.60	24.50	24.10	17.70	26.20	26.40
Fifth	27.50	25.00	30.80	32.90	28.30	33.90

Note. SC = South Carolina; ELA = English language arts.

District leaders intentionally placed Debbie at Sunnyside Elementary based on her unique history of recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. However, the teacher turnover rate at Sunnyside Elementary has increased from 20% (Year 1), 38% (Year 2), to 42% (Year 3) under Debbie’s leadership. More first-year teachers are working at Sunnyside now, but 91% of the teacher population has 3 or more years of experience. Debbie noticed an overall decrease in teacher morale and is concerned about increasing difficulty retaining highly qualified teachers. As an icebreaker for the start of the new school year, Debbie asked Sunnyside Elementary teachers to share why they entered the profession. Whereas some offered general responses, the majority of the teachers shared that they went into the profession to make a difference for students in underserved communities. Debbie noted their passion for meeting the needs of their learners was evident through their instruction, planning, and working well beyond school hours.

As part of her strategy to turn the school around, Debbie decided to take full control and responsibility for all administrative tasks. Debbie believed that if she completed all of the tasks herself, she could guarantee they would be done well, and her staff would be able to solely focus on classrooms and students.

Description of Case Events

Leadership Qualities and Strategies

Over the past 3 years, Debbie implemented several strategies to support teachers and improve student outcomes. First, she implemented a mentoring program and monthly professional development opportunities for first-year teachers. Second, she scheduled weekly professional development for all teachers on specific topics, such as teaching strategies, behavior management, and school safety. The professional development was scheduled for an hour each Wednesday afternoon, which required teachers to stay until 4:00 p.m.; however, when professional development was unnecessary for the week, teachers were given additional time to work in their rooms without interruptions. Third, she implemented data meetings, where grade-level teams reviewed student performance data to assess intervention strategies. Debbie often tried to attend these meetings, which were held during planning periods. Debbie, along with her assistant principal, met with all teachers during their planning once a week to go over weekly lesson plans, data, and answer any questions they had. Finally, all teachers were observed at least 4 times a year, with post-observation feedback provided in person or in writing. Debbie believed these five strategies would provide teachers with the necessary tools and support to improve their teaching and learning practices.

At the beginning of the school year, the principal also took strategies to develop a sense of community among Sunnyside staff. Before the first day of school, Debbie hosted a meal at the school for all staff and their families, and she held a “Sunnyside Elementary Orientation” for first-year and new teachers. She gave away “jean passes” (permission to wear jeans to work) for birthdays to encourage teachers and show her appreciation. Debbie even made December a “jeans month,” and she allowed teachers to leave as soon as their duties were over (even on Wednesdays). She bought donuts for all staff members on random days during the year as a sign of appreciation. Debbie also understood that teachers need to focus on their classroom, so she did not have committees for them to join. As the leader of Sunnyside, the principal assumed responsibility for all things related to the school while giving her staff time to focus on their teaching responsibilities.

Despite the principal’s multiple strategies to build school community and support her staff, turnover at the school continued to increase and student academic outcomes slowed or decreased. The principal is puzzled as to why these strategies are not working for the teachers in her new district. Debbie consistently implemented these strategies in her previous leadership positions in Pennsylvania. She retained educators, and her teachers always seemed to feel valued and appreciated. Everyone in the district seemed to want to work for Debbie: teachers from other schools regularly sent in transfer requests to work for her. At Sunnyside, Debbie is worried, and unsure what else she can do to retain teachers. In addition, she is concerned about low student performance, particularly considering the extensive professional development, observations, and instructional supervision she has provided to the staff.

Teacher Survey Results

Despite Debbie’s effort and good intentions, Sunnyside Elementary teachers struggled to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population of students. Furthermore, Debbie failed to lower the attrition rates of the school each year. To better understand why teachers were leaving Sunnyside Elementary at an alarmingly high rate, Debbie sent out a survey to all staff members to gather feedback about the school’s culture and morale. The teacher survey results are summarized in Table 2.

Table 2.

Teacher Survey (Rating Results) Results.

Survey rating questions	Overall scores in percentages
Participants: 47 teachers	1Never (%)	2Rarely (%)	3Sometimes (%)	4Often (%)	5Always (%)
I am satisfied with my current position	16.7	40	33	10.3	0
I feel supported by school leadership with classroom and school-wide behavior management	33	50	16	1	0
I feel that my input is valued and my voice is heard regarding instructional decisions and school-wide initiatives	50	27	14.3	7.7	1
I think my workload is manageable	33	52	15	0	0
I feel that I am provided with the opportunity for leadership roles and advancement	16.7	44.3	33	5	1
I feel supported with finding new ways to reach all learners	25	43.2	18.8	8.7	4.3
Administration communicates in a clear and effective way	18.3	61.7	17.2	2.8	0

The teacher survey results indicated that more than 50% of teachers had worked at Sunnyside for 4 to 9 years, whereas 17% had worked there for 1 to 3 years. Teachers with more experience provided higher ratings for questions about the opportunity for leadership roles and their voices being heard and valued.

The results indicated that more than 50% of teachers chose “Never” or “Rarely” for all seven rating scale questions. For the short response question eliciting teacher input for improvements, one teacher noted,

I feel pressure to teach the content and keep on pace but have little support with behavior. My students get suspended frequently, and it is difficult to catch them up. In addition, it is a band-aid for the situation; they need to be at school in order to grow their self-regulation skills. We have several walkthroughs and observations a month. I feel that I am always being told what to improve but not provided with the support to do so. I do not feel heard or valued.

Debbie was shocked by the survey responses. “How could teachers not feel supported when I have been taking so much off their plates?” she wondered.

Teacher Exit Interviews

After reviewing teacher responses, Debbie reviewed Sunnyside teacher exit interviews compiled by the district office. Teachers leaving the district were asked to complete a survey and in-person interview before being released. Although Debbie had skimmed the results of the exit interviews previously, she now felt that she had a better context to compare them with, to inform future changes and support at Sunnyside Elementary.

At the end of the last school year, 19 teachers left the school. Of those who left, the exit interview indicated that 11 teachers left the teaching profession altogether, five took teaching positions at different schools in the district, and four took teaching positions outside of the district. Three teachers moved back to states where they grew up or went to college (Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Jersey). The exit survey results showed that the highest percentage of teachers who left had only been in the profession for 1 to 3 years. School leadership, job stressors, pay rate, and career change were the top four motivations for leaving. Short explanatory responses for “Job Stressors” included significant student behaviors, the pressure of improving test scores, workload, and emotional exhaustion. Debbie’s most surprising finding was that even teachers who left in primary grade levels indicated “high-stakes testing” as a job-related stressor that caused them to leave.

Although the results from the form pinpointed reasons why teachers were leaving Sunnyside Elementary School, Debbie felt that reviewing information from the face-to-face portion of the exit interviews would provide her with further insight about specific changes that could be made to improve teacher morale. For example, teachers indicated one of their motivations for leaving was due to “Job Stressors” and, furthermore, the “workload,” but what precisely about the workload was unmanageable? Debbie read several examples, included in the following, to understand why her teachers left Sunnyside.

Teacher 1

Mary Jones was a White female fourth-grade teacher who left the teaching profession after 2 years of teaching at Sunnyside Elementary. She enjoyed working with the students but stayed late every day, including Fridays, and never seemed to get caught up. She always took work home with her. Mary felt that the job was “never-ending” and was discouraged by behaviors in her classroom. One or two students in her classroom were often disruptive, which affected the whole class. She attempted several conferences with the parents; however, she stated, “the parents blamed me and complained” to the principal, who then chastised Mary.

Mary left teaching to work as an administrative assistant at a local insurance agency. “It is a different type of job,” Mary said, “I realize I will lose my summers and holidays off, but I don’t care because I can do my job at work and go home without worrying about anything else.” Her new boss also told her that she could eventually work for bonuses. Mary is upset that she is not doing her “dream job” but feels relief knowing that she will not have to worry about test scores, student behaviors, and demanding parents.

Teacher 2

Ian Miller was an African American male teacher leaving the profession after 4 years of teaching fifth grade. “I enjoyed the actual teaching part of the job,” Ian said. “But the meetings, the constant emphasis on student test scores, the countless hours spent outside of work on grading and lesson planning, all made the job too much to bear.” His first-year teaching at Sunnyside Elementary was difficult, but he felt inspired and supported by the administration and his colleagues. However, Ian’s past 3 years “got worse each year because I lost my planning time to data meetings.” The data meetings often felt like opportunities to blame teachers for low test scores, rather than opportunities for collaborative problem-solving with his colleagues. Ian felt uncomfortable sharing his thoughts in these tense meeting environments after one of his colleagues cried after he asked about her reading scores and accused him of “bullying” her. Afterward, he was told to use “a more respectful tone” by an administrator. “Life is too short to be this stressed out at work,” he said. Concerned about career options after receiving a bachelor of science degree in education, Ian planned to return to school to obtain a degree in business to broaden his career options and increase his “earning potential” in the future.

Teacher 3

Maria Ramirez is a Latinx second-grade teacher leaving the profession after 6 years of teaching. “I love my students,” she said, but she was overwhelmed and unclear of expectations. “Lesson planning takes so much time that I always have to work at night after I get home,” she said. “No amount of jean passes, or donuts can balance that workload, or constantly being told what to do without any suggestions or support on how to do it!”

For the past 2 years of her teaching career, Maria has worked a second job, teaching virtual classes to students learning English to supplement her income. She recently accepted a trainer position for a major educational software company that will allow her to continue some teaching, but with significantly less stress and a higher salary than both of her previous positions combined.

Leadership Team Meeting

The findings from the Sunnyside Teacher Exit Interviews aligned with the feedback that Debbie received from current teachers. Although there were some influences causing teacher turnover that were out of her control, such as teacher pay, Debbie reflected that many of the challenges were attributable to her leadership strategies and approaches that she once thought would help to reduce teacher burnout that have caused teachers to feel silenced and overwhelmed. To identify necessary action steps quickly and to increase teacher morale, she decided to call a leadership team meeting.

Debbie asked one teacher from each grade level to attend the meeting. She started the meeting by sharing survey and exit interview results with the team. When she asked for input, teachers were first quiet and unsure of what to say. After a few minutes, veteran fourth-grade teacher Melissa Hall spoke up. She was Mary Jones’s mentor teacher and, although she tried to encourage Mary, it was not enough to keep her at the school because “teachers feel very overworked and stressed.”

Jackie Dixon, a veteran second-grade teacher, shared that she used to love her job, but lately feels as if she has “no voice. . . Teachers just come to school and teach, but we feel like we aren’t included in any decisions.” Debbie looked around the room and noticed other teachers nodding in agreement. One by one, more teachers began speaking up. By the end of the meeting, Debbie was extremely tired, discouraged, and defeated. Why are not her strategies working in this school when they have been effective at other schools? Debbie worked very hard to make sure that teachers do not have to worry about school decisions but, in fact, her teachers want to be involved in the decision-making process. How can she involve teachers without overwhelming them? She felt that she does a lot to improve morale—what more can she do? Debbie went home immediately after the meeting although she had an extensive to-do list on her desk. She needed time to think.

Intersecting Problems

Debbie has faced many intersecting problems resulting from her current leadership strategies and school-wide management. The leadership practices that she used previously when working at a high-performing elementary school in Pennsylvania have not translated as effective practices in her new leadership role at a high-needs elementary school in South Carolina. Ultimately, the following complexities caused a decrease in teacher morale and retention and an increase in teacher attrition at Sunnyside Elementary School:

Debbie believed taking responsibility for all duties was an effective way to reduce teacher workload and job stressors, but teachers voiced they do not feel that their input or voice is heard regarding instructional decisions. In addition, there was a lack of communication from administration and opportunity for leadership roles.

The teacher survey indicated that 50% or more of teachers “never” or “rarely” feel supported with classroom and school-wide behavior management. Suspending students was frequently used as a discipline practice to address student behaviors. Teachers stated that managing student behaviors and catching students up on academics after suspensions contributed to job dissatisfaction.

Standardized test scores decreased over the past 3 years since Debbie became principal. The teacher exit survey showed that even teachers who left in primary grade levels indicated “high-stakes testing” as a job-related stressor that caused them to leave.

In conclusion, the intersecting problems that have been identified will continue to result in an increase in teacher attrition if Debbie does not take action. The information that has been collected indicates that “one size does not fit all” when implementing leadership strategies across various schools. To promote positive outcomes, Debbie will need to develop a plan of action to address the concerns regarding communication and collaboration, behavior management, and job-related stressors related to high-stakes testing.

Teaching Notes

This case study highlights the difficulties that school leaders face with retaining high-quality teachers in high-needs schools. It has been written to allow graduate-level students in Educational Leadership programs the opportunity to reflect on leadership qualities and strategies that can be used to reduce the likelihood of teacher turnover. This case study, in addition to the culmination of research, identifies the main influences on teachers leaving the profession and encourages collaboration to identify the wicked problem that Debbie Smith, the principal at Sunnyside Elementary has been faced with, as well as possible solutions. According to Grint (2010), a wicked problem is one that “is more complex, rather than just complicated—that is, it cannot be removed from its environment, solved, and returned without affecting the environment. Moreover, there is no clear relationship between cause and effect” (p. 12). The intersecting dimensions of wicked problems are typical of many educational leadership scenarios, where competing demands, policies, and stakeholders complicate decision-making. In a case study on school policy choices, Beard (2017, p. 95) explains as follows:

Wicked problems are difficult to solve because they involve incomplete, contradictory, or changing information. Their wickedness lies in resistance to resolution, rather than sinister intent. Solving one aspect of a Wicked problem could result in creating other problems. Because of the high degree of uncertainty surrounding Wicked problems, they provide opportunities for leaders to ask good questions, rather than simply provide expedient answers, because resolution may “require a collaborative process to make any kind of progress.” (Grint, 2005, p. 1473)

The case of leadership at Sunnyside Elementary reflected the wicked, interrelated challenges of leading to address teacher retention, student behaviors, and student academic outcomes for new-to-place principals. In the following sections, we discuss each of these challenges in detail, with supporting research to understand the dimensions of each.

Teacher Retention and Administrative Support

Teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate across the nation (Ingersoll et al., 2018). As a result, school districts are filling teacher vacancies with underqualified teachers, which affects the education of all students and performance in schools (Ingersoll et al., 2018; Nguyen et al., 2020). To improve teacher retention, it is essential to identify specific factors contributing to dissatisfaction among teachers.

In his landmark study on teacher turnover and shortages, Ingersoll (2001) examined why teachers left the profession. Are shortages due to teacher retirement and increased student enrollment, or are there other factors that cause teacher turnover? Using data from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), as well as the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS), Ingersoll concluded that working conditions were a significant factor for teacher attrition (Ingersoll, 2001).

Aligning with Ingersoll’s (2001) findings, Tickle et al. (2011) concluded that administrative support was the most significant predictor of teacher job satisfaction. Job satisfaction, in turn, was the most crucial predictor of teachers’ decision to remain in the profession (Tickle et al., 2011). Brown and Wynn (2009) interviewed 12 principals from a small urban school district with a high teacher attrition rate. The principals described similar strategies and leadership styles when asked about teacher retention, such as the importance of providing support through instructional resources, mentors, affirmations, and continuous growth and professional development (Brown & Wynn, 2009). Another significant finding from this study was the emphasis on situational leadership: adapting and adjusting to the changing needs throughout the school (Brown & Wynn, 2009), a finding supported by a recent analysis of rural teacher retention by McHenry-Sorber et al. (2021).

Classroom Management and Student Behavior

Student behavior and classroom management are some of the many challenges teachers face in the classroom and another reason why they leave the profession (Dunn, 2020). Behavior management is especially difficult for preservice and novice teachers because of their lack of experience (Hirsch et al., 2021). According to Voke (2002), 20% of new teachers leave the profession within 1 year, and 42% leave within the first 5 years because of difficulties with student behaviors. It is therefore imperative that preservice and novice teachers have needed support to manage complex student behavior in their classrooms.

In a qualitative policy analysis of teacher preparation, Freeman et al. (2014) found preservice teachers may not be prepared for successful classroom and behavior management upon completion of the preparation program. Only 28 states and regions require certification programs to include classroom management and only a few of the programs employed evidence-based classroom management practices in their curriculum (Freeman et al., 2014). The findings suggest novice teachers enter the profession unprepared to engage in effective, research-based classroom management.

Aligning with these findings, Shook (2012) found that preservice teachers relied on reactive strategies when dealing with behavior problems in the classroom, rather than changing strategies or implementing proactive strategies. When teachers have a negative perception of administrative support, they are more likely to leave the profession (Dunn, 2020; Tickle et al., 2011). However, a recent improvement science study conducted by LaBerge (2021) found that administrators could support classroom management for novice and experienced teachers. LaBerge recommended enabling all educators to receive specialized training for behavior management, providing additional mentoring for novice teachers, and implementing professional learning communities for behavior management (LaBerge, 2021). LaBerge’s (2021) findings suggest that, despite the limits of preservice preparation, teachers can develop needed classroom management skills with the support of school leaders.

Other Factors Related to Teacher Retention

Teacher attrition is, unto itself, a wicked problem, with multiple variables affecting individual decisions to stay or leave a position (Cranston et al., 2016; LaBerge, 2021). We briefly discuss three significant factors that influence teacher retention and overall job satisfaction: teacher pay, job stress, and representation and inclusion in hiring.

Teacher pay has been identified as one of the leading influences on turnover. A research synthesis by Brill and McCartney (2008) found that beginning teachers and teachers working in high-poverty schools cited “teacher pay” as one of the top reasons for leaving. Brill and McCartney’s (2008) synthesis also provided possible remedies for low-paying teacher positions, such as providing incentives for teachers working in more difficult school environments or connecting school incentives to student achievement and outcomes.

The demands of high-stakes testing and accountability measures are another key factor in teacher stress, job satisfaction, and retention. Multiple studies have found that job-related stress caused by high-stakes testing affects teacher self-efficacy and school-wide climate (Ryan et al., 2017; von der Embse et al., 2016; Williams, 2021). These factors have a lasting negative impact on teachers and their ability to implement effective classroom management and high-quality instruction, and thereby increase teacher turnover (Williams, 2021). The impact of COVID-19 is expected to further exacerbate job stress and undermine teacher well-being (Pressley, 2021). Jabbar et al. (2021) conducted a longitudinal study that indicated how the COVID-19 pandemic caused damage to schools’ organizational functioning (e.g., routines, relationships), which has led to a rise in teacher attrition. Teachers reported an increase in anxiety and decrease in morale due to the job-related stressors caused by the pandemic, in addition to the lack of relationship building and collaboration between colleagues and administrators (Jabbar et al., 2021).

Data consistently show that teachers from minoritized populations are underrepresented in schools (e.g., Ingersoll et al., 2018; Ingersoll & May, 2011), which in turn has a negative effect on historically marginalized student populations (Carver-Thomas, 2018). Although some recruitment strategies have been effective in increasing the number of teachers from minoritized communities, turnover rates remain high (Ingersoll et al., 2019; Ingersoll & May, 2011). In a meta-analysis of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) teacher retention, Kim and Cooc (2021) concluded that many AAPI educators feel they do not receive adequate administrative support to stay in education. As Kim and Cooc (2021) noted, “Increasing the number of AAPI teachers and Teachers of Color is not just about changing the demographics of the teacher population; it is about changing the culture of U.S. schools” (p. 212). School leaders play a central role in shaping and changing school culture to increase inclusion and equity (Carver-Thomas, 2018), and effective leaders are more likely to retain teachers from historically minoritized populations (Bednar & Gicheva, 2019).

Additional Resources for Educators and Administrators

Identifying the root causes of teacher retention and attrition, and developing a plan to address these complex issues, is a challenge that all school leaders face. Scholars have developed resources throughout the years to encourage school leaders to reflect on these challenges and guide conversations to inform solutions, including the following:

Azano, A. P., Brenner, D., Downey, J., Eppley, K., & Schulte, A. K. (2020). Teaching in rural places: Thriving in classrooms, schools, and communities. Routledge. The edited volume provides research-centered guidance for teaching and leadership in rural schools.

Carver-Thomas, D. (2018). Diversifying the Teaching Profession: How to Recruit and Retain Teachers of Color. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/diversifying-teaching-profession-report

A research-based guide that identifies underlying challenges with teacher recruitment, as well as promising practices to diversify the workforce and retain teachers of color.

Dunn, A. H. (2020). “A vicious cycle of disempowerment”: The relationship between teacher morale, pedagogy, and agency in an urban high school. Teachers College Record, 122(1), 1–40. Dunn (2020) analyzes the impact that district, state, and national policies have on teachers’ perception of their pedagogy, causing a decrease in teacher moral, which therefore leads to teacher attrition.

Johnson, J. F., Perez, L. G., & Uline, C. L. (2013). Teaching practices from America’s best urban schools: A guide for school and classroom leaders. Routledge; and Johnson, J. F., Uline, C. L., & Perez, L. G. (2017). Leadership in America’s best urban schools. Routledge. These books provide an overview of research-based instructional and leadership practices that have been implemented successfully at urban schools.

Murphy, J. F., & Louis, K. S. (2018). Positive school leadership: Building capacity and strengthening relationships. Teachers College Press. The text is designed to help school leaders reflect on current practices and goals to build a more inclusive setting using the positive school leadership (PSL) model.

Questions for Discussion

How might Debbie Smith’s previous work at a top-performing school affect her leadership decisions at Sunnyside?

Identify strategies and practices that Debbie can implement to increase teacher morale and efficacy.

What are the pros and cons of allowing for more teacher autonomy and input at Sunnyside Elementary?

If you were the administrator at Sunnyside Elementary, what steps would you take to help resolve this problem?

How might the working environment of Sunnyside contribute to high attrition rates?

How can leaders at Sunnyside use the exit interview data to effectively inform practices to increase teacher retention?

What role does a school’s demographics, wealth, status, and test score data play in teacher retention issues? How can leaders address these factors when recruiting and retaining teachers?

According to the teacher survey results, one of the scale questions that received the lowest rating was “I feel supported by school leadership with classroom and school-wide behavior management.” Based on this finding, what measures could Debbie Smith take to revise the current school-wide behavior support system? What disciplinary practices could be utilized instead of the current practices?

Draft a mission statement for Sunnyside Elementary that reflects the new priorities for the school community.

Using the teacher survey and exit interview data, develop an intervention plan with short-, medium-, and long-term goals to increase teacher retention at Sunnyside Elementary School. Include strategies to retain teachers from historically marginalized populations.

In a group of 3 to 4 people, create a proposal to inclusively revise Sunnyside’s vision statement. The plan should include strategies to elicit diverse staff and community perspectives, as well as tools that could be used to better understand the current culture and climate at Sunnyside Elementary School. Include phases of the plan, from beginning to end, with a general time line.

In a group of 3 to 4 people, develop a School Improvement Plan. Include the tools that will be used to inform the need for the plan, the tools that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the plan, the personnel responsible for executing the plan, the professional development that is necessary to include in the plan, and a time line.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Daniella Hall Sutherland

Author Biographies

Rebecca Baker is a fifth-grade teacher in Greenville County. She received a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a master of teaching degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She is a graduate student at Clemson University pursuing an educational specialist degree in educational leadership. She is interested in studying and developing strategies for teacher recruitment and retention.Jenny Hill is a special education teacher for York School District One in York, SC. She received a bachelor of arts degree in special education from Clemson University and a master of education degree from Winthrop University. She is currently enrolled in the Educational Specialist program in Educational Leadership at Clemson University. She is interested in studying teacher retention in public schools, specifically with special education teachers.

Brittany Portwood is a fourth-grade teacher in Greenville County. She received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of South Florida. She is currently studying at Clemson University to complete her master’s degree in educational leadership. She is interested in learning leadership strategies that help retain and develop quality educators.

Erin Smith-Harrah is a special education specialist in Greenville County, supporting teachers and students in pre-K through fifth grade. She received a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology and master’s degree in early childhood and special education from the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently studying at Clemson University to complete her educational specialist’s degree in educational leadership. She is interested in studying the influences on teacher retention and attrition in public schools.

Daniella Hall Sutherland is an Assistant Professor of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development at Clemson University. Her research focuses on district and building-level leadership in rural communities, educational policy, and educational in/equity.

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