Date

Summer 8-6-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

A Strategic Research Project: Improving Teacher Retention Through Distributive Leadership and Fostering a Collaborative School Culture, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: collaboration, distributive leadership, guiding coalition, school climate, school culture, teacher retention

This strategic research project was designed to provide school leaders with an evidence-based strategy for implementing a guiding coalition through distributive leadership practices to enhance teacher collaboration, improve school culture and climate, and increase teacher retention. The project focused on a K–8 public school facing challenges of teacher turnover, morale, culture, climate, and the sustainability of a collaborative organizational environment. As schools across the country continue to navigate teacher retention challenges, identifying leadership strategies that promote trust, shared responsibility, teacher autonomy, and professional growth is essential for sustaining teacher commitment and achieving long-term organizational improvement (Nguyen et al., 2026). These organizational challenges are important because teacher retention influences key aspects of a school, including instructional stability, student achievement, and the organization’s capacity to maintain a positive learning environment that supports the success and well-being of both students and teachers (Madigan et al., 2023). Effective leadership practices that prioritize collaboration, trust, and shared decision-making are essential for creating organizational conditions in which teachers feel valued, supported, and motivated to remain within the school community (Zhang et al., 2021).

As part of this project, an organizational analysis was conducted using strategic planning tools, including the Internal Factor Evaluation, External Factor Evaluation, and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix. This analysis identified key organizational strengths, including professional development opportunities, professional learning communities, leadership continuity, and academic interventions. It also revealed weaknesses that undermine organizational effectiveness, including data literacy challenges, high teacher turnover, inconsistent accountability, and concerns about teacher morale. Based on the QSPM results and findings from a literature review, implementing a guiding coalition through distributive leadership was identified as the most viable strategic option for fostering a positive, collaborative school culture, strengthening teacher collaboration, increasing shared decision-making, and creating organizational conditions that promote teacher engagement, commitment, and retention (Patrick, 2022). This project recommends that school leaders establish a guiding coalition with diverse members from across the organization, provide opportunities for teacher leadership, strengthen communication systems, and use data to inform practices and to monitor progress. By creating a school environment where educators feel valued, supported, and empowered, the organization can foster a culture of shared leadership, increase teacher ownership in decision-making, and strengthen the collaborative relationships necessary to sustain teacher retention (Martin & Benedetti, 2025).

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and the School of Criminal Justice

Concentration

Educational Leadership

Language

English

Download
Share Feedback

Share

COinS