Patching <i>The Leaky Bucket</i>: Understanding WL teacher identity‐agency and attrition

Abstract World Language (WL) teacher supply has been a pervasive threat to the sustainability of K‐12 WL programs for decades; however, few studies have examined the factors that contribute to the leaky bucket . This paper presents the stories of six WL teachers in the southern United States who decided to leave the classroom despite years of experience in their schools. Their stories uncovered the interactions between teacher identity and professional agency, revealing three metaphors of high‐risk WL teachers— spare part, jack‐of‐all‐trades , and Lone Ranger . Implications for patching the leaky bucket are provided, including actions needed by stakeholders at multiple levels to ensure access to quality WL programs for all K‐12 learners.