ABSTRACT
Research has shown that principal leadership is closely tied to teacher retention (continuing to teach at the same school), even ameliorating teacher turnover in contexts that usually have low teacher retention rates. Overall, positive teacher perceptions of principal leadership predict higher levels of teacher retention while unfavourable perceptions of principal leadership are closely associated with lower levels of retention (higher levels of turnover). These perceptions of the principal have been at times determined the most important factor in teacher retention (e.g., Boyd et al. 2011) or considered one of a select few critical contributors (e.g., Johnson et al. 2012). The principal’s relationship with retention can also be substantial in an indirect way as the principal impacts various school conditions and teacher attitudes that are, in turn, also strongly associated with teacher retention decisions. Despite a breadth of research establishing that school leadership is closely related to teacher retention, there is still some uncertainty over which specific leadership styles, behaviours, and practices may specifically improve retention.
