DOI: 10.30828/real.1962726 ISSN: 2564-7261

Examining the Relationship Between Teachers’ Decision to Leave or Transfer within a School District and Their Perceptions of Domains of School Leadership Practice

Krista Bixler, Marjorie Ceballos, Xinyi Mao, Su Gao
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The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ domains of practice and their decision to transfer to another school within one school district or leave the school district. A second purpose was to investigate whether this relationship varied according to school academic achievement. To complete this study, researchers used data collected from a school district’s teacher exit survey administered to teachers who either transferred to another school within the school district or left the school district. Researchers examined teachers’ perceptions of importance and satisfaction with school leaders’ domains of practice from data collected between the 2018 and 2024 school years. Multilevel logistical regression demonstrated that teachers were more likely to transfer within the school district, rather than leave the school district, based on their perceptions of importance of the leadership domain of improving the instructional program. Perceptions of satisfaction with domains of leadership practice did not contribute significantly to teachers’ decision to transfer or leave a school. Moreover, school academic performance did not significantly contribute to teachers’ decision to transfer or leave. Findings from this research study may support school district leaders in reducing teacher transfers by increasing school leaders’ ability to provide instructional support to teachers, monitor student learning and advance school improvement.

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