Research was limited when it came to the perceptions of rural district and school leaders regarding the recruitment and retention of teachers of color. Beginning in 2021 2022, Tennessee's Educator Diversity Policy, 5.700 outlined requirements for local education agencies to submit goals, plans, and strategies to promote the recruitment and retention of teachers of color with the consideration of the population of students of color who are enrolled compared to teachers of color who are employed within schools. Due to the increasing enrollment of students of color in public schools, the increasing diversity of the workforce in the United States, and the positive outcomes that teachers of color had for all students, but specifically for students of color, research was necessary to understand what strategies could be utilized by rural district leaders and rural school leaders to support the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in public K 12 rural Tennessee schools. In this qualitative, interpretive study, seven rural district leaders and seven rural school leaders completed the questionnaire. I discovered rural district and school leaders, who were responsible for submitting goals, plans, and strategies to the state of Tennessee, as well as for the recruitment and retention of teachers of color, did not feel equipped to provide specific strategies, and organizational support geared toward the recruitment and retention of teachers of color. [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.]