Teacher Retention in High-Poverty Urban Schools: The Role of Empowerment, Leadership, and Collaboration

Teacher attrition remains a significant challenge in high-poverty urban schools, contributing to educational inequities and disrupting student learning. This study explores how teacher empowerment, encompassing systemic flexibility, supportive leadership, autonomy, and peer collaboration, influences teacher retention in these settings. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers from two high-poverty urban schools to examine their experiences with empowerment and its role in their decision to remain in their positions. Findings suggest that empowerment fosters a sense of value, agency, and professional growth, all of which enhance teacher retention. The study underscores the importance of creating empowering school cultures through flexible systems, authentic leadership, and collaborative environments. By addressing these factors, high-poverty urban schools can reduce teacher attrition, improve student outcomes, and promote educational equity. These findings offer actionable strategies for educators and policymakers to build resilient, sustainable educational systems in urban contexts.