Steps School Leaders Can Take to Improve Teacher Retention

Introduction: The Problem

“Most teachers aren’t quitting because they don’t love teaching. They’re quitting because their bodies are burned out before October,” states Jennifer Behre Caputo, a Wellness Speaker for Schools & Organizations, in LinkedIn.

Jennifer Behre Caputo is not talking to a small target audience: According to the 2024 Pew Research Study of how American teachers are doing, 77% of public K-12 teachers say their job is frequently stressful.

Hanover Research echoes the same direction. It states that 70% of K-12 teachers in the USA do not feel engaged at work.

McKinsey lists some reasons teachers consider leaving their jobs: compensation, unreasonable expectations, the inability to protect their well-being, and a lack of stability in school leadership.

Addressing The Problem

The research paper by Hanover Research suggests concrete strategies to drive teacher engagement for teacher retention:

1. Increase commitment to create a positive school culture;
2. Encourage collaboration and team-building between teachers;
3. Provide active, transparent, and timely communication; and
4. Recognize teachers’ contributions.

This post reviews how improved school communication, and commitment and alignment from school leaders can improve teacher retention. We extend the list from the Hannover’s recommendations to look at  the realities of teachers managing increased student behavior issues, and teachers being overworked due to the rising number of special education casework.

Teacher Recognition by School Leaders

Teachers spend countless hours with students, yet their work may go largely unnoticed in the school halls and beyond.

Research consistently links recognition to teacher morale, job satisfaction, and retention. A national survey by the EdWeek Research Center on what type of recognition teachers really want found that acknowledgment of teachers’ work is one of the most effective ways to improve morale and support well-being.

While PTA/PTO parent members organize to support teachers’ needs and create teacher appreciation weeks, teachers also need to be consistently recognized by school leaders in authentic ways that support their everyday work.

In the active 99k member Facebook community for assistant principals, members give advice. One assistant principal writes, “We start every faculty meeting with celebrations and shoutouts. The principal and I always have a couple ready but we invite teachers to jump in. Nothing is too small. We clap and cheer! I can tell it is much appreciated and your puts me in the best mood all day!”

Another principal shares, “We do teachers of the week. Our theme this year is The Magic Starts Here so we call them our Magicians of the week.”

Recognizing teachers on the school’s communication platform to show appreciation also provides a way to connect the recognition with families. School leaders may give shoutouts in the school’s newsletter or post on the school’s social platforms to recognize teachers for their hard work as professionals and humans. For instance,

• Introduce a new teacher to the community.
• Interview a teacher to help the community get to know them better.
• Recognize special professional milestones, such as a work anniversary or a professional development milestone.

Positive social posts and recognition are concrete and direct ways to show teachers in your community that the community values them and their contributions. Families can join to support these recognitions and, as a result, build a school community.

Increased Non-Teaching and Case Management Work 

Teachers report clearly that they are stretched thin and need to wear too many hats. In a Pew Research from 2024, 8 out of 10 public school K-12 teachers state that they don’t have enough time in their day to get all work done.

As Bruce Lear, a former teacher and longtime education advocate, describes:
“Teachers are hired to teach academics. But here’s the rest of the story. Teachers take tickets, run carnival booths, operate the scoreboard, work track meets, chaperone dances, monitor parking lots, do lunch duty, and referee fights, all without pay.”

What is often labeled as “other duties as assigned” becomes a steady expansion of responsibilities that fragment a teacher’s day. These tasks are not inherently unreasonable, but when layered onto instructional demands, behavioral management, and specialized casework, they create a workload that is difficult to sustain.

The issue is not just about improving time management with better communication planning and coordination; it is also aligning responsibilities and, very clearly, providing teachers with more resources and districts with more personnel.

Teachers’ increase overwork became a central point in the recent labor disputes during the February 2026 district strikes. In California, special education teachers, for instance, often serve as case managers, responsible for evaluating students, writing legally required Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), coordinating with families and staff, and attending frequent meetings.

The takeaway is not clean or pretty: For teachers, the workload is not just a time management issue, it’s a workload distribution issue. Teachers need not just emotional support and recognition; they need concrete ways to shift and share responsibilities. School leaders are in a tough spot supporting teachers unless they can offer more resources.

Leaders Should Support Challenging Parent Communication

While research on teachers’ parent interaction has found that time spent communicating with parents is associated with increased teacher effectiveness, it also states that it can increase stress, particularly when communication becomes frequent or difficult to resolve. (Source)

The National Education Association reports results of its 2024 survey: Communication about student behavior is the highest source of stress for teachers. When dealing with student behavior, more than 60% of educators said they lack sufficient support from administrators, and over 75% reported challenges related to parent interactions and expectations.

Research has described this type of parent–teacher communication as “emotional labor,” requiring teachers to manage not only information, but also tone, parent expectations, and reactions. (Source)

School leaders can reduce some of the burden of challenging parent communication from the teacher by defining appropriate processes that takes place when it occurs. Creating rules and standards to recognize when the transition needs to take place can provide teachers  emotional safety.  The documents standards for stepping in might be:

• The issue still continues after a clear and documented response.
• Parent’s tone has become confrontational or accusatory.
• The request requires administrative authority.
• The communication volume or frequency becomes difficult to manage.

Provide New Teachers Support and Resources + PD

New teachers just getting to know the school may be at higher risk of leaving their jobs. Consider creating a group where new teachers can privately collaborate with the school staff, ask questions, and get support. This effort will indicate that a strong culture is in place and the support is there.

Survey Systematically to Measure Teacher’s Job Satisfaction

While national research provides trends and larger metrics, it’s also important to  measure teacher engagement and job satisfaction in the school district or school.

You can use established surveys such as the Panorma Teacher and Staff Survey, or create a survey that allows anonymous responses on the school communication platform.

A balanced survey asks questions on several key areas that impact teacher’s job satisfaction from the work environment to provided support and professional growth. Sample questions might be:

Overall Job Satisfaction

• Sample question: I am satisfied with my role at this school.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)

Workload and Time Demands

• Sample question: I can complete my work within my contracted hours.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Administrative Support and Leadership

• Sample question: I feel supported by school leadership when issues need to be addressed.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Parent Communication and Expectations

• Sample question: I feel supported when handling challenging parent communication.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Resources and Instructional Tools

• Sample question: I have access to the materials and tools needed to teach effectively.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Staff Relationships

• Sample question: Staff at this school support one another.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

School Culture

• Sample question: There is a shared understanding of expectations for behavior and conduct across the school.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Student Behavior and Classroom Environment

• Sample question: I receive adequate support in managing student behavior.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Professional Growth and Development

• Sample question: Professional development at this school supports my teaching practice.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Autonomy and Professional Judgment

• Sample question: I have the autonomy to make decisions about my classroom.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

School-wide Communication Clarity

• Sample question: School expectations and policies are communicated clearly.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Well-Being and Work-Related Stress

• Sample question: My job feels manageable and sustainable.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Retention Intent and Future Plans

• Sample question: I see myself continuing to work at this school next year.
• Answer type: 5-point Likert scale

Open Feedback and Suggestions

• Sample question: What is one change that would most improve your experience at this school?
• Answer type: Open-ended (short or long response)

Focus on Improving the School Culture

Teachers, parents, students, and school leaders share something in common—the school culture they experience every day. School culture is not a static concept; it is something school leaders, teachers, and family engagement teams can work on.

Investing in teachers’ professional development, strong parent-led initiatives, and building community partnerships all promote a closer-knit community where members feel that they belong. Teachers are more likely to stay in a positive school environment that supports them.

The Takeaway

A teacher who feels proud, recognized, and supported by their community is more likely to enjoy and retain their teaching position.