At the foundation of this research was the supposition that when principals implement positive leadership practices, they create an educational climate that encourages highly qualified teachers to continue to work in economically disadvantaged school districts by increasing teacher morale and perceived teacher efficacy. The purpose of the research study was to determine the extent to which school leadership practices positively affect teacher morale and teacher efficacy. The study further examined the relationship among teacher morale, perceived teacher efficacy, and teacher turnover rates. The research produced a compilation of leadership practices implemented in elementary schools located in northeastern North Carolina that affected teacher morale and teacher efficacy and affected teachers' perspectives about their willingness to remain in the profession. I utilized a quantitative-Qualitative mixed methodology to conduct the study (Creswell, 2009). The quantitative elements included a non-experimental design that incorporated the use of archival data from the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey and the North Carolina State Report Card. The archival data were analyzed to identify the correlations among the teacher morale, teacher efficacy, school leadership, and teacher turnover rates. I conducted a one-sample t-test among the variables and teacher turnover rates using data from the 85 northeastern elementary schools of North Carolina to explain whether the mean differences between the state values and the values for the sample of schools for each of the research variables are different. The probability was low (< 0.05); therefore, the difference between the individual variables and the state mean is statistically significant at alpha level 0.05.Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the degree of relationships among the variables (teacher morale, teacher efficacy, school leadership, and teacher turnover rates). To investigate how the variables related to one another, I employed a multiple regression model. The multiple regressions were conducted as a means of predicting the value of one of the variables based on the values of the other variables. The correlational analyses did reveal weak to moderate positive linear relationships among the variables. The resulting coefficients for teacher morale, teacher efficacy, and school leadership indicated a moderate negative relationship with teacher turnover. The qualitative component consisted of an interpretive study, which was implemented to identify leadership behaviors of the participating school principals. This portion of the research focused on the analyses of the constructed-response surveys completed by selected principals and teachers from four elementary schools. The online constructed-response surveys requested the principals and teachers to reflect on the school leadership practices implemented at their schools that relate to teacher morale, teacher efficacy, and teacher turnover. The principals reported the positive leadership practices of recognizing the contributions and respecting the teachers as professionals who are capable of performing leadership roles in the schools. The negative practices noted by the principals focused on not providing teachers the opportunities in the decision-making processes. The teachers' responses of positive leadership practices focused on creating an environment that values the staff and students, treating the teachers professionally, and routinely celebrating successes. The negative practices reported by the teachers included overwhelming the staff, miscommunication, and systematic changes caused by individual incidences. The research identified school leadership behaviors that teachers believed would prompt them to consider leaving the profession. The findings from schools with low teacher turnover indicated behaviors included: teacher voices not being heard, lack of planning time, and pressure by the district and state to meet academic proficiency standards. The schools with high teacher turnover rates identified the practices that would prompt the teachers to leave the profession included: increased paperwork, lack of support by the administration, increased class size, and lack of adequate and competent principals. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]