Rethinking teacher retention in New York City middle schools : a focus on retaining the highest-performing teachers through effective school leadership

This report gives an in-depth study of the relationship between effective school leadership and teacher retention. It reviews existing literature that establishes the connection between effective school leadership and lower rates of teacher turnover. The report then attempts to find the relationship among effective school leadership, teacher retention, and student achievement in New York City middle schools. The report also highlights the important processes and strategies that the New York City Department of Education employs in an effort to increase teacher retention. A closer look at The New Teacher Project’s 2012 Report, “The Irreplaceables,” redirects the report to recommend retention efforts that focus on retaining the city’s highest-performing teachers instead of using “blind” retention strategies. In the end, the report summarizes the political climate in New York City between the teachers’ union and the district and recommends four strategies that keep this relationship in mind.