Teacher retention in high-poverty middle schools is a topic of concern. Teachers make the decision to leave the profession for a variety of reasons. Induction programs are put in place to for support with the goal of helping new teachers remain in the profession. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify critical components of induction programs and the influence on teacher retention in middle schools with high poverty. Additionally, the study examined new teachers' and mentor teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher induction programs. Quantitative data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test to test the hypotheses, and thematic analysis was used to summarize and describe the qualitative data. The results and findings showed teachers perceived that high-poverty schools have lower teacher retention rates than low-poverty schools, both new teachers and mentors viewed teacher induction programs positively, and the critical elements of having a mentor, administrative discipline support, common planning, professional development, and peer observation could ensure an induction program is effective and positively impacts teacher retention. The study also indicated that induction programs must be intentionally designed to positively influence teacher retention, and assigning a mentor is an essential component of the induction program. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]