Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Urban Schools

The Role of Empowerment, Leadership, and Collaboration

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9729149
AutoresErin Mooney Martin (University of Dayton), Christopher Benedetti (0000-0002-2469-2289, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, autor correspondente)
Ano2025
Volume57
Fascículo5
Páginas423-443
Data de publicação2025-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoEducation and Urban Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0013-1245 • E-ISSN: 1552-3535
EditoraSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00131245251318318
OpenAlexW4407142616
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas28

Teacher attrition remains a significant challenge in high-poverty urban schools, contributing to educational inequities and disrupting student learning. This study explores how teacher empowerment, encompassing systemic flexibility, supportive leadership, autonomy, and peer collaboration, influences teacher retention in these settings. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers from two high-poverty urban schools to examine their experiences with empowerment and its role in their decision to remain in their positions. Findings suggest that empowerment fosters a sense of value, agency, and professional growth, all of which enhance teacher retention. The study underscores the importance of creating empowering school cultures through flexible systems, authentic leadership, and collaborative environments. By addressing these factors, high-poverty urban schools can reduce teacher attrition, improve student outcomes, and promote educational equity. These findings offer actionable strategies for educators and policymakers to build resilient, sustainable educational systems in urban contexts

Economic growth · Educational leadership · Empowerment · Instructional leadership · Pedagogy · Poverty · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Early Childhood Education and Development · Parental Involvement in Education · Psychology