The decrease in teacher retention in kindergarten-12th grade public schools give rise to a crisis throughout the United States, and principals need help to provide effective leadership and adequate support to retain teachers. The problem addressed in this study was the low rate of teacher retention within low-performing urban schools and the need to understand better retention in relation to principals' transformational leadership characteristics and the perceived level of support from principals that contributed to teachers' intentions to remain in or leave the profession. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there was a relationship between teacher perceptions of their principals' transformational leadership characteristics and the perceived level of support from principals that contributed to teacher intention to either remain in or leave the profession. A sample of 131 kindergarten -12th-grade teachers was surveyed using the Teacher Support Survey and the Multi-Factor Transformational Leadership questionnaire. A Pearson's correlation test quantified the relationships between the independent variables (principals' transformational leadership characteristics and teachers' perceived level of support from principals) and the dependent variable (teachers' intention to remain in or leave the profession). The results indicated a significant correlation between the dependent and independent variables. Therefore, principals fostering support for teachers may improve teacher retention rates. Three recommendations for future research emerged, including using linear regression testing to assess the combined predictive influence of this study's independent variables. An investigation into how teachers' perception of principal transformational leadership characteristics and support for teachers in the context of improving teacher retention in schools throughout the United States was needed for teachers to want to remain in the profession. [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.]