Page 28 - 2024_Jour_90-5

run, effective schools is difficult. Although the shortage of quality educators is clear
to all stakeholders, the path forward is far more complex.
To address attrition, it is important to understand why teachers leave. Studies
show that dissatisfaction with the work environment overwhelmingly contributes
to their exodus. A report from Learning Policy Institute (2017) listed issues such as
“dissatisfied with the administration,” “too many intrusions on teaching time,” “lack
of influence over school policies and practices,” and “not enough opportunities for
Dr. Debbie LeBlanc is the leadership or professional advancement.”
International President
(2022–2024) of Delta Teacher Leadership Matters
Kappa Gamma and a
member of Beta Phi Even in 2009, McCaw and Mummert called for more teacher leaders in every
Chapter in Illinois State school because teacher leaders know how to respond to rapid changes in school
Organization. She served reform, recruit a diverse and high-quality teacher pool, sustain professional
as a principal in both the development and support teacher retention, direct teachers into areas of high need,
elementary and middle and support high quality new-teacher mentoring programs. A Teacher Leader Toolkit
school settings for 25 created by the Center on Great Teachers & Leaders (2019) discusses the wide range
years and as Director of
Student Services. She of possible teacher leadership roles and positions and emphasizes the importance of
was Chair of the Teacher defining and communicating those roles and responsibilities to all relevant partners.
Leadership and Principal Few careers exist that provide little to no opportunity for upward growth and that
Prep Programs at Aurora barely keep pace with cost-of-living raises, yet that is the structure currently in place
University where she for teachers. The current “career lattice” for teachers is inconsistent and unstable
wrote curriculum for both (Doyle, 2015; Ghamrawi & Abu-Tiney, 2023). Teachers are forced to seek their own
programs and successfully
completed the annual “opportunities” rather than being given such by their administrators and/or districts.
Higher Learning Some claim additional responsibilities are bestowed upon the “best and brightest”
Commission accreditation with little to no pay or recognition of the importance of their role (Barton, 2023;
process. LeBlanc has Watson, 2018). Anecdotally, some teachers report community stakeholders are not
been recognized for always made aware of the contributions of these teacher leaders or the direct impact
her leadership by the they have had on their school or district.
DuPage County and Illinois
Principal Associations with The development of pathways for teacher leadership lays a foundation to recruit
awards for Elementary and retain effective educators; however, existing opportunities are limited in scope,
Principal of the Year, quality, and quantity. These gaps hinder potential teacher leaders who want to
“Those Who Excel” Award use their experience and wisdom to affect decision-making regarding instruction,
of Excellence, and the curriculum, and policy matters but do not want to leave their classroom. Teacher-
Herman Graves Award—all leader roles provide these opportunities. Pathways should improve working
recognitions at the highest
level of leadership in conditions and cultivate opportunities for professional growth (Ingersoll et al.,
Illinois schools. 2017); however, schools or districts may not have the time or resources to build
systems that operationalize teacher leaders.
debbiel@dkg .org
Collaboration Matters
Clear connections exist between the impact of well-organized schools and the
retention of good teachers (Johnson, 2019). By establishing clear teacher-leader roles
within school systems—touching areas ranging from hiring practices, curricular
decisions, and teacher teaming to the use of data and how to address student needs—
school administrators can realize strong, shared-decision-making models. Of course,
the roles need to be developed intentionally toward a commonly held vision and
mission. A shared-decision-making model then allows administrators to enhance the
capabilities and skills of teacher leaders in their building, and, in turn, the teachers
feel valued and heard.
Shared-decision-making models also help to create positive collaborative

26 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators