An Exploration of Teacher Perceptions of Principal Behaviors that Influence Teacher Retention Decisions in Title I High Schools
Dissertation Defense
February 11, 2025
Colleen E. Grosse
Acknowledgements
Dr. Watson – Chair
Dr. Hart – Committee Member
Professor Atwell – Committee Member
Dr. Good – Graduate School Representative
UNC Charlotte Educational Leadership Cohort – Tyler Mavity
The Participants in the Study
Dedication
This project is dedicated to all of the people who have shown me love and acceptance in so many forms.
Overview
The Problem
The Problem Cont’d
What is known?
Incentives for teacher longevity no longer exist in North Carolina (WestEd, 2019). Students in Title I schools are disproportionately exposed to inexperienced teachers and tenure for principals lags.
The Unknown
The Purpose
The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of teachers working in Title I high schools about principals’ behaviors that influence their decision to remain in or leave their current school or the teaching profession, in general.
Research Questions
1. In what ways have principals influenced teachers’ decisions to continue or discontinue their employment in their Title I schools?
2. In what ways have principals' behaviors positively or negatively influenced teachers’ commitment to the teaching profession?
Conceptual Framework
Level 5 Leadership
as defined by Collins, 2001
Level 5 leaders display a powerful mixture of personal humility and indomitable will.
Level 5 leaders embody drive, humility, lack ego, and possess interpersonal skills needed to develop a team working together against unimaginable odds.
Significance of the Study
Chapter 2:
Literature Review
Teacher Retention
Why Do So Many Teachers Leave?
Teacher Turnover Factors:
Impact of School Demographics:
Title I High Schools and Their Challenges
Poverty in North Carolina:
Impact on Education:
Title I Schools:
Need for Experienced Teachers:
The Role of School Principals and Their Influence on Teacher Retention
Chapter 3: Methodology
Basic, Exploratory Qualitative research design was utilized to collect and transcribe personal experiences of participants.
Positionality
Data Collection
Data Collection Techniques
Protection of Human Subjects
Several measures were taken to ensure that those participating in this study were protected.
White
Woman
English 9-12
7 years experience
1 school
Participants
Abby
Benny
White
Non-binary
Social Studies 9-12
4 years experience
1 school
Chris
White
Man
Social Studies 9-12
4 years experience
1 school
Donna
Black
Woman
Exceptional Children
30 years experience
3 schools
Emma
White
Woman
Math 9-12
28 years experience
3+ schools
Fran
White
Woman
Math 9-12
7 years experience
1 school
5 White, 1 Black
4 Women, 1 Man, 1 Binary
Experience ranges from 4-31 years
Chapter 4: Findings
Research Question 1:
In What Ways Have Principals Influenced Teachers’ Decisions to Continue or Discontinue Their Employment in Title I Schools?
Teacher Perceptions of Principal Actions that Influence Teachers to Remain in Title I High Schools
Theme 1: Principals Recognize Teachers as Difference Makers
Subtheme 1: Sense of Belonging
Subtheme 2: Affirmations and Staff Recognition
Theme 2: Visibility
Theme 3: Relatability
Theme 1: Principals Recognize Teachers As Difference Makers
Interviews illustrated how principals who recognized teachers’ value and that they were making a difference would positively influence them to stay in their Title I high school.
Abby: “I would say when I felt appreciated and felt like what I was doing in and out of my classroom was valued. When I felt like I was actually making a difference because they communicated that directly to me. I think that even just their presence in the classroom… popping in… that made me feel like I was making a difference, and I wanted to be here.”
Emma: “I choose my principals. I choose them because of the heart that most of the people I have worked with have. I stay with them and at the schools because they have the heart of trying to make whatever school they are at very successful. They make me feel and know that I am valued in my job. Principals who make a feeling of not just teaching, but also of leading adults to go to the next step in their own life.”
Fran: “I’ve had three principals in six years. The second principal really knew how to get teachers to believe in themselves and the school. She was a great storyteller and would frame everything with a purpose. That made you want to stay. You could tell she believed in what our school could be.”
Subtheme 1: Sense of Belonging
A subtheme related to teachers staying at a school is that principals garnered a sense of belong. The principal created a school culture where there was a common goal and there was a shared understanding of care for one another that was evident and regularly communicated.
Four participants shared the desire to be a part of a collective.
Abby: “I felt most supportive when the administrative team was on the same page and when we had a fair sense of what was going on at school each day. I felt like I was working with colleagues who knew what they were doing and that helped me to be better at what I was doing it. We were all working for the same thing.”
Fran: “The good principal we had, we went from an F to a C. We could feel it. Kids could feel that. We had more expectations, but everything was always framed with a purpose or a goal. There was never a question in my mind we could and would reach it. That’s how powerful her words were. We were part of something big.”
Subtheme 2: Affirmations and Staff Recognition
Teachers reported they were more likely to stay at a school if they felt as though their principals recognized and understood when they were doing well in their assigned role.
They wanted to be recognized in someway.
Donna: “If the principal creates a positive atmosphere, then a lot of people will stay at the school. If they do not have a positive atmosphere, and people feel like they are not doing enough, then people are going to leave. I’ve seen it many years. People need to feel like they are doing enough and doing well or at least can do well or get better.”
Abby: “When my principal made me feel appreciated and like what I was doing in and out of my classroom was valued because she told me that. It wasn’t anything fancy.”
Fran: “It’s so simple. Telling me that I am doing a great job. Recognizing me for my strengths in the classroom… that was what made me feel like I was making a difference and was fitting into the job I was doing. I was always overworking and for a while I never felt any of the recognition. That made me want to stay [feeling recognized]. At that time, I was a fourth-year teacher, and never felt the recognition. So, I imagine what new teachers might feel like when they are struggling in their first year.”
Theme 2: Visibility
Notably all 6 teachers reported that when principals were visible, they would remain in a school.
Participants suggested that principals are perceived to be part of the school and greater community by having high visibility and relatability.
Abby: “I think just their presence in the classroom… popping in… is important to me. For example, this year people administrators did not have their observations done or any informal observations… that lack of presence was what did it for me.”
Benny: “For me a lot of traits that matter is visibility. I mean for the first year our principal was present, which was an improvement from the last principal. The second year, he just stopped being around. I know he’s a busy man, and I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but the kids need to see you. We need to see you. If you want to inspire people behind the scenes that doesn’t do anything. No one roots for the man behind the curtain.”
Chris: “Principals are the cornerstone of the school and if they are not visible, I notice. They’re the cornerstone, the figurehead, the ‘Mr. or Ms. Such-and-Such High School.’ Not only do I notice, but others notice. If I notice the principal is not present, then their assistant principals and deans aren’t visible.”
Emma: When principals are visible in the hallways, classrooms, activities it not only lets the kids know they are there, but also teachers. It shows that they are not just there for one part of the job, but the entire big picture from the teacher’s viewpoint to the principal’s. They make it a point to say, ‘I am in this with you, you’re not just doing this by yourself,’ and that is what makes the difference for me to stay.
Theme 3: Relatability
In addition to visibility, relatability was another important trait that influenced all six participants to remain in Title I school.
Participants generalized relatability as the perceived connection between others and the ability to see themselves in another.
Abby: “When I saw that principals cared and interacted with students, that’s when I felt like I wanted to stay.”
Benny: “There was a hesitancy for me leaving because I did like Mr. X as a person. I didn’t want them to have to look for another teacher because it’s hard to fill.”
Donna: “Rules without relationships breeds rebellion.” Furthermore, she shared: The principals that can relate to the kids have influenced me. They can say, ‘I’ve been there, I’ve missed meals, I’ve been home to no power at the house, I didn’t have a dad at home,’ or anything like that. They know that this is real life and that students can overcome those things.”
Chris: “They really need to embody the school they are at. They really need to be Mr. X school, or Ms. X school, someone who is part of that neighborhood.”
Fran: I was so tired of principals not being dedicated or a part of the neighborhoods. It was like they were outsiders. Every one or two years they leave. They didn’t really care about our neighborhoods or our families. They weren’t like our kids in the sense that they didn’t know their neighborhoods or even what the demographics of the neighborhoods were like. It was like they were happy to leave early and get back to their ‘nicer’ neighborhood where they lived. They didn’t have any belief in the east side. At a certain point it made me resent them as a leader, and I didn’t want to work with them anymore.
Research Question 1:
In What Ways Have Principals Influenced Teachers’ Decisions to Continue or Discontinue Their Employment in Title I schools?
Teacher Perceptions of Principal Actions that Influence Teachers to Discontinue Employment in Title I High Schools
Theme 1: Inability to Organize Administrative Team
Theme 2: Lack of Instructional Focus
Theme 3: Vertical Hierarchy
Theme 4: Lack of Trust
Theme 1: Inability to Organize the Administrative Team
Teachers reported several experiences related to principal behaviors that influenced teachers to leave a Title I school. A principal’s perceived inability to organize their administrative team elicited negative and emotional comments from participants.
Benny: “It’s also how you run your time as a principal. There was no clearly defined role and responsibilities for our administrative team. It was all ‘loosey-goosey’ and ‘up in the air.’ No one knew what to expect from the administrators. Some people thrive in the chaos, but I think it’s annoying as a professional. That annoyance has become part of the job which is why I won’t be there anymore.”
Emma: “I left because it was just chaos. There is no other way to describe it. Everybody was doing what they wanted to do and nothing was done in a common way. In the last couple of years, I would say communication is the biggest failure I have seen. I never have feared being at a school, but it was out of control. There were no guidelines, and students saw this, and did what they wanted, just like teachers did what they wanted. Principal sets that standard for consistency when it comes to goals whatever it might be. We weren’t all part of the same team.”
Chris: “When it comes to the culture for deans, assistant principals, and school culture it runs through the principal. If they aren’t holding themselves accountable, no one else is. No one is holding anyone accountable, and they don’t know what is going on week in to week out.”
Abby: “When principals don’t set the direction of the team, and things are chaotic that is what has made me choose to leave. The communication is bad. Everything is always shared at the last minute. Things are messy all the time. No one knows who is responsible for every task or part of the school, and it’s like we get no help from anyone who should be in the leadership team.”
Theme 2: Lack Instructional Focus
Every participant had a negative experience related to instructional support at their school.
They described administrative teams that lacked a consistent focus on improving instruction and supporting the efforts of teachers to become better instructors.
Chris: “I don’t think I had a single observation that was on time this year. Like, why am I having to text my principal about my observation? It doesn’t make sense.”
Abby: “I feel the biggest factor for leaving is that the emphasis is not on instruction anymore. Our administration is much more focused on just passing the kids through. They do not care what I’m doing to engage them or learn the content. I used to be encouraged in my classroom to do activities like mock trials, which was very engaging for students. They require a lot of student voices where I am not doing the talking. I was explicitly discouraged by a principal from doing that because it wasn’t an activity that was easily made up if they missed school.”
Benny: “One thing that negatively impacts teachers is the lack of support, like for teaching, or to learn how to be a good teacher. It often feels like the blind is leading the blind. If someone does need help, it feels like the administration team just googled the phrase, “instructional practices” and just read it off. I needed more modeling and coaching from the principals or the team.”
Theme 3: Vertical Hierarchy
Another theme related to negatively influencing teacher retention was the perception that the principal valued a vertical hierarchy when making decisions for the school.
This top-down approach to leadership contributed to a lack of trust between the principal and teachers, as principals did not seek teachers’ input on critical decisions.
Participants were expected to fall in line with absolute compliance.
Fran shared that when she considered leaving her school, a principal acknowledged that she had great ideas and could lead. “The best principal I worked for encouraged me or pushed me to get better with opportunities for myself to grow. That helped me stay in education at one point. Having principal who told me, ‘Hey you’re a powerful force, I need you to lead this department.’ She would ask me for my advice and input on decisions when others didn’t.”
Abby: “They didn’t care about what I had to say. I was doing majority of the work for our English department, and they didn’t take my advice even though I had been there for seven years.”
Theme 4: Lack of Trust
Participants shared stories that emphasized a lack of trust between principals, which would cause teachers to consider leaving their school.
A vertical hierarchy contributed to a perceived lack of trust between administrators and subordinates.
Most respondents referred to the entire administrative team when they spoke about trust; however, some acknowledged that the principal determines the tone for that team.
Chris: “As a third-year teacher, I had made a mistake in classroom management. A student ended up making a bad decision when I let them use the restroom unescorted. Once that happened, my principal blamed me. I made a mistake as a newer teacher and got called in for a reprimand in front of the entire administrative team. After that, every time I had to watch over my shoulder to not make a mistake. When you’re living in that hell, you don’t want to be in that school anymore. I understood that I made a mistake, I was naive to trust that student, but it was not my fault the kid made a bad decision. It made me grow really bitter.”
Benny: “Oh! The gotcha moments! All they do is cause anxiety and people to hate the job even more.”
Upon further probing of what were “gotcha moments,” Benny shared a principal had their administrative teams go to classrooms unannounced, attempting to film classes in disarray, and then had the intention to share those videos of chaos during a staff meeting. This practice caused embarrassment and perpetuated a culture of fear among teachers. Unsurprisingly, it did not motivate anyone.
Research Question 2:
In What Ways Do Principals' Behaviors Positively or Negatively Influence Teachers’ Commitment to the Teaching Profession?
Teacher Perceptions of Principal Behaviors that Positively Influence Teachers’ Overall Commitment to the Teaching Profession
Theme 1: Establish and Communicate Clear Managerial and Organizational Processes
Theme 2: Create a Culture of Care, Belief, and Empathy
Theme 3: Embody the Principal Role and Commitment to the School
Theme 1: Establish and Communicate Clear Managerial and Organizational Processes
Every participant reported how much they valued high expectations for themselves and other staff members.
Teachers wanted principals with an organized and clearly articulated plan so that teachers knew what to expect.
Abby: “I think when principals have high expectations for staff and students, that motivates me.”
Benny: “A way to motivate me is by leading by example - if you ask staff to do something, it’s helpful to do it yourself. Allowing teachers to have autonomy in their room, show trust, but set the expectation and keep the day organized for them.”
Chris: “Principals need to know how to organize everything from hiring teachers, directing the admin team, enforcing rules, being involved, organizing schedules, even the PLC’s, I know that is probably not even the half of it, but principals need to have their finger on everything at the school, and that’s why it’s so important for me to work for a principal that is 100% invested.”
Emma: “Principals need to be open to feedback from the staff, where everyone is all on the same page 100%. Then if staff are not, they need to be able to have a conversation with those people for accountability.”
Theme 2: Create a Culture of Care, Belief, and Empathy
Teachers shared a general theme that when a principal creates a school culture with a sense of belief and care, they motivate teachers to continue their commitment to the teaching profession despite the challenges that may be present.
Emma: “When principals have behaviors of reassuring staff that they support us, and everybody is in this together.”
Abby: “When they make you feel like they haven’t forgotten how to be a teacher and when they “have your back” like even just understanding the struggles.”
Donna: “As an EC teacher, I have a lot of paperwork that needs to be done in addition to actually teaching my classes. My principal took that into consideration and gave me a planning period that worked best for contacting parents. He knew that I would need that, so I felt like he understood the challenging parts of my job. “
Fran: “Principals being professional. Being present, being on time, communicating a whole plan to your staff for the year or even for the week, so we know what is going on. When a principal knows what is going on at the school and communicates with us as teachers, that is the best. If they are organized, that helps teachers get their days organized. Having a principal who sets us up for success is so important every single day.”
Chris: In my opinion, being a principal, it’s not an easy job, it’s kind of like students to teachers and teachers to principals. Just like if you have a great teacher, you’ll be a great student. If you have a good principal who sees you as a professional, teachers will go to the end of the earth for that person in that role. I’ve gone up to principals and said, ‘If you leave one day, I will follow you,’ and that’s because I can see their vision.”
Theme 3: Embody the Principal Role and Commitment to the School
All participants reported a high value in a principal who was perceived to be committed to the school.
While not every participant had an experience of having a principal that they considered highly invested, they voiced their desire to experience that.
Chris: “A lot of principals skipping from school to school, it’s just not an end all, be all for them. They are going to treat our school like a steppingstone. The best teachers want somebody who is at that school for the long hall, a pillar of principal excellence. They want longevity. You really want a Mr. [redacted] or Ms. [redacted].”
Donna: “Some Title 1 principals are just there because it is a job. At my school we have a 2-year turnover, I have never seen one stay more than 3 years. Some come through as I’m going
to see if I can make this work.”
Emma: “You just want to give up when teaching is tough as a career. The principal could be the last step to make or break a teacher. It goes back to the expectations. My professionalism could have been better in the past. It’s always easier to go the route that is not hard. My commitment depends on what the leader is like. If I don’t know my expectation or know I can do the bare minimum, then I’ll do the bare minimum, and I’m almost 30 years in. When a principal pushes you harder and to do better it motivates me.”
Research Question 2:
In What Ways Do Principals' Behaviors Positively or Negatively Influence Teachers’ Commitment to the Teaching Profession?
Teacher Perceptions of Principal Behaviors that Influence Teachers to Leave the Teaching Profession
Theme 1: Dehumanize and Treat Staff Poorly
Theme 2: Inability to Manage Responsibilities
Theme 1: Dehumanize and Treat Staff Poorly
Overwhelming sentiment from participants was that leaving education was seen as an extreme response to their perception of poor leadership.
Negative influences on teachers’ overall commitment to the teaching profession included dehumanization and poor treatment and principals who could not manage their own responsibilities, resulting in teachers being unable to handle the workload and job responsibilities.
Abby: “The first were examples of my coworkers not being treated well by my principal. These were committed teachers who had been at the school longer than this principal. It feels worse when someone else that you care about gets broken down by something a principal has said, and when it is intentionally being done in a public setting. That made me question my commitment because not only were they not being thanked for the work they put in, but she was trying to embarrass them by questioning their plans and decisions last minute.
Coworkers and teachers were taking sick leave, which is normal, but two teachers were berated by the principal at the time. I remember they walked up to them on duty and asked out loud, ‘Were you really sick?’ and then changed the absence designation to get money dedicated. This was a teacher who did not miss a single day during the year. It showed us as a staff that we had to protect ourselves and if we didn’t fall in line, she would attack us, even though teachers she was friends with took off all of the time.”
Abby also shared that she was hired to work for summer school extended employment and was not paid correctly two years in a row. “The first time they messed up my pay, we got it fixed, they said it wouldn’t happen again. Then the next year, the principal made empty promises about my pay, and now I worked an entire summer and still have not been paid the correct amount. This is kind of the last straw as to why I am leaving. He won’t even answer my emails or texts about the pay issue anymore.”
Benny: “I had issues with coworkers this year, and I tried to handle it, but the leader used personal targets or vendettas against staff. There were principal issues where it just felt like it was their personal hatred of a specific staff member. How you treat staff is huge. Professionalism is always needed. You are the boss.”
Fran: “I had one principal that was so rude to me, not just me our whole staff. At one point toward the end of the year, they outright would ignore me when I would say hello in the morning, even though I was a teacher doing everything for them. I was an effective teacher with data to back it up, making them look good.”
Theme 2: Inability to Manage Responsibilities
Participants shared that when principals seemed unable to manage the responsibilities of the role, they were less visible and more likely to be perceived as uncommitted to the school.
Chris: “Being a principal is a hard job, I could not imagine being a principal. Your identity is tied to your school. When you take that role, you need to know the wide range of responsibilities you will have.”
Benny: “Listen… I get it, they’re busy, but no one told them to do this. They need to either be better leaders or figure out how to delegate to their team and train their team.”
*Benny was significantly less understanding or empathetic because of their experiences compared to all other participants.
Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, and Recommendations
Discussion:
Teachers as Movers vs. Leavers:
Principal Influence on Teacher Retention:
Discussion:
Study Findings
Leadership Styles & Teacher Commitment
-Teachers prefer a balance of both leadership styles.
-Principals should combine structure (transactional) with motivation and relationship-
building (transformative) (Schermuly et al., 2022).
Stability & Trust
Implications
The findings imply that Title I teachers are likely to be influenced as movers by principal behaviors rather than leavers. Participants will remain with principals who exhibit organizational effectiveness and personal humilty.
Collins (2001) Level 5 leadership strong desire for organizational success is accompanied by uncommon and sincere humility.
Title I high school teachers in this study want to stay at a school where a principal understood the importance of transactional styles of leadership and transformative elements.
Transactional includes:
Transformative includes:
Principals in Title I high schools should employ a Balanced Leadership approach that employs transactional and transformative styles. Exemplify high level of managerial competence, ability to organize, and delegate responsibilities related to school goals. Most importantly they should show an unprecedented level of commitment.
Recommendations
Recommendations for District Leaders
Recommendations for Principal Preparation
Recommendations for State Policy
Recommendations for Future Research
Increase the sample size of participants
Include Non-Title I experienced teachers
Summary
This study sought to explore and investigate the perceptions and experiences of Title I high school teachers and what principals have done to influence their decisions to remain or leave their current school, or the teaching profession, altogether. This study:
Thank you!
Questions & Discussion
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