The Reasons Teachers Stay: Lessons from High-Retention Schools, Districts, and Communities

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Douglas B. Larkin Suzanne Poole Patzelt

The Reasons Teachers Stay

Name: The Reasons Teachers Stay
Price: 83.99 AUD
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ISBN: 9798895570425

Lessons from High-Retention Schools, Districts, and Communities

Douglas B. Larkin, Suzanne Poole Patzelt

$83.99

Paperback

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English

Harvard Educational Publishing Group
17 February 2026

Educational strategies & policy; Organisation & management of education; Teaching skills & techniques; Personnel & human resources management

A research-based guide uncovering what teachers say keeps them in their schools—and how leaders can sustain them

The Reasons Teachers Stay offers a powerful new perspective on the urgent issue of teacher retention. While national headlines focus on why so many teachers leave, Douglas B. Larkin and Suzanne Poole Patzelt flip the question to ask: What makes teachers stay? Larkin and Patzelt’s findings can inform the practice of administrators, school leaders, and teachers in creating supportive work environments within K–12 school districts.

Drawing on a six-year longitudinal study of US schools, districts, and communities with high rates of teacher retention, the work reveals that sustaining effective teachers in their jobs requires more than just a satisfactory working environment and incentives. Larkin and Patzelt find that teachers are retained when an interrelated set of conditions, including a manageable teaching load, a degree of autonomy, adequate compensation, and supportive relationships with colleagues, are in place to meet their needs. They present their findings using the teacher embeddedness framework to show how fit, interpersonal connections, and school-based/community assets matter more than previously understood.

Engaging case studies and interviews with teachers and administrators throughout the book illustrate these concepts in action. The work ends with practical recommendations to enact key tenets of the framework in schools, such as establishing mentorship and induction programs; fostering teacher agency, autonomy, and protection; and providing strong support for teachers of color.

By: Douglas B. Larkin, Suzanne Poole Patzelt
Imprint: Harvard Educational Publishing Group
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9798895570425
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 17 February 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Douglas B. Larkin is a professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University. Suzanne Poole Patzelt is an assistant professor in the Department of Alternative Programs and University Partnerships at Touro University.

Reviews for The Reasons Teachers Stay: Lessons from High-Retention Schools, Districts, and Communities

""The Reasons Teachers Stay is a must-read for anyone who cares about teachers and public education. With constant news cycles of teacher shortages and research showing teachers looking to leave, this book is a breath of fresh air, examining why most teachers stay and how to retain more teachers."" - Tuan D. Nguyen ""Larkin and Patzelt's book explores why teachers stay in teaching. Through four case studies of unique school districts, they provide clear insights into the complexity of science teacher retention. This positive and thoughtful work is a must-read book for those interested and concerned about teacher retention."" - Julie A. Luft ""As a teacher educator invested in preparation and retention, I found The Reasons Teachers Stay both refreshing and hopeful. Using job embeddedness as a framework, Larkin and Patzelt reframe attrition research through compelling case studies that show how teacher autonomy, supportive colleagues and administrators, personalized mentorship, and reciprocal ties with local communities sustain teachers' commitment and belonging."" - Meredith Kier