Leadership for teacher retention: exploring the evidence base on why and how to support teacher autonomy, development, and voice

Teacher retention has been a persistent challenge globally. School leadership plays a central role in retaining teachers. Drawing on a major review of 355 research outputs, this article develops and discusses an international empirical evidence base specifically on the potential effects and leadership practices of promoting teacher professional autonomy, development, and voice in relation to teacher retention. The evidence suggests that promotion of teacher autonomy, development and voice is likely to interactively enhance teacher well-being, commitment, and retention. It categorically highlights five domains of salient leadership practices to promote these teacher outcomes. The article discusses some gaps in the evidence base and proposes directions for future research to inform policy and practice on leadership for teacher retention.