Lead or Leave? Reimagining Leadership Opportunities to Retain Teachers of Color

Abstract As school leaders across the country contend with persistent staffing challenges, the recruitment and retention of teachers of color has emerged as a critical policy and practice imperative. While existing research has extensively documented the barriers teachers of color face in entering and remaining in the profession, far less attention has been paid to their perceptions of professional advancement and leadership opportunities while in service. This quantitative study examines the leadership aspirations and perceptions of teachers of color, utilizing nationally representative survey data that includes n = 1000 teachers. Findings reveal that while teachers of color overwhelmingly desire opportunities to grow and lead without leaving the classroom, a statistically significant proportion report feeling pressured to exit teaching in order to advance. The study calls for race-conscious, classroom-anchored leadership models that both affirm teachers of color as instructional leaders and serve as a powerful lever for retention in schools that need them most.