This study examines the relationship between teacher agency, autonomy, and teacher attrition and shortage challenges in U.S. K-12 education. Utilizing a quantitative approach, a survey was carried out to 200 teachers in Iowa, achieving a 52% response rate. Findings indicate a positive correlation between teacher empowerment and reduced attrition…

Over the past decade, teacher autonomy has become increasingly significant due to its positive impact on educational outcomes. The study explores the mediating role of teachers' academic optimism in the relationship between school principals' empowering leadership and teacher autonomy. In this study, we proposed teachers' academic optimism as a…

Principal autonomy has been identified as an important ingredient in effective and healthy schools. However, little is known about the various dimensions of the phenomenon and how it takes form in different contexts. This article presents an analytical device contributing to further understand the complex nature of principal autonomy. The device…

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a moderation effect between perceptions of school-level autonomy and teacher race/ethnicity on job satisfaction using the National Teacher and Principal Survey. The participants included 25,360 teachers from 5140 public schools representing a weighted sample of 2.35 million teachers.…

While coaches can have a positive impact on teachers' practice and students' learning, in many school districts teachers have the autonomy to decide whether and when to work with a coach. Coaches then must work to gain access to teachers' classrooms. In a recent study of 28 content-focused coaches, researchers Jen Munson and Evthokia Stephanie…

Prior research suggests that critical participatory action research (CPAR) -- a research approach that centers democratic participation, agency, and collective capacity-building -- may be one way to improve teachers' professional development and increase their feelings of agency and well-being. Engaging in CPAR has the potential to foster…

Some state legislatures have introduced a rash of bills designed to control how K-12 teachers discuss so-called 'divisive issues,' such as racism, sexism, and privilege. This legislation has prompted substantial news coverage on the impact of these laws. Sidelined in this discourse are the perspectives of teachers. This mixed methods study seeks…

This research aimed to examine school principals' perceptions and practices during the COVID-19 period through the perspective of school leaders' agency and proactive coping role when facing adversity and crisis. For this purpose, we interviewed 60 principals of elementary, middle, and high schools. Interview analysis yielded five categories of…

Prior research has identified five in-school factors that impact teacher retention: positive school culture, supportive administration, strong professional development, mentoring programs, and classroom autonomy. While much of the national attention is focused on state or district-level policies to address the teacher retention crisis, this study…

The paper aims to add to what is known about how contextual prerequisites and governance systems affect art teachers' professional freedom, a topic of global significance. Previous research shows that Visual Arts education has not been aligned with current syllabi. This discrepancy is partly explained by 'a lag' in the teachers' subject…

Enrollment in online schools (OS) has increased significantly in recent years. Due to advancements in technology, OS are able to provide education entirely online to K-12 students. Despite their growth, there has been little research on the working environments of OS. This paper explores teacher perceptions about working conditions in OS. We use…

Recent resistance to teaching students about the history of racial power and privilege dynamics in the United States has been accompanied by a parallel resistance to LGBTQ+ studies and resources in K-12 classrooms, libraries, and extracurricular spaces. There is a very practical benefit to trusting teachers to craft lessons that integrate LGBTQ+…

The quality of school leaders and teachers is critical to both school development and student achievement. Thus, quality school leaders are needed for teachers to perform their assigned roles and tasks in line with the school goals. This paper examined the effect of transformational leadership behaviours of school principals on teacher agency. The…

This study encompasses research on the role of mentoring in the experiences of instructional supervisors in K-12 school districts and how mentoring contributed to their professional development. The method used for this research included a questionnaire, one-to-one interviews, and a panel discussion to capture the essence of the work of the…

As school systems struggle to recover from years of disruption, new programs, policies, and nontraditional organizations that support innovation in the teaching role will need to grow to support all students' learning. But what is it like to teach in new ways? What are the advantages and drawbacks? What brought educators to these unconventional…