The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Restorative Practices on teachers’ turnover intentions in urban, high-poverty schools. Restorative Practices (RP) is a quickly growing whole school approach to community building and discipline, but little is known about teachers’ perceptions of this intervention. This dissertation tests the hypothesis that if RP can improve teachers’ perceived working conditions, including school climate, teachers may be more satisfied and more willing to stay at their schools. I specifically analyze data from a multi-site, cluster randomized control trial of Restorative Practices (in combination with Diplomas Now) in schools from eight large cities across the US. I use multilevel modeling, logistic regression, and structural equation modeling to evaluate the effects of RP on school climate and teachers’ turnover intentions and the role of implementation in this relationship. Through my intent-to-treat, path (i.e., mediation), and observational analyses I find that RP has a significantly positive effect on school climate but a more complex and indirect relationship with teachers’ turnover intentions. Overall, the findings from this dissertation suggest that RP is a policy that can improve school climate, but implementation and buy-in from teachers play a key role in its effect on teachers’ turnover intentions
