Teachers are leaving the profession as stress level continue to rise due to its emotional demands. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how teachers interpret the influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on the teacher retention in the Arkansas River Valley. The theoretical framework was EI theory. The literature review examined the influence of emotional intelligence on teacher retention, teacher burnout, student achievement, job-related stress work environment, classroom management, and educational policy. Eleven one-on-one interviews were conducted. In additions five of the 11 participants were interviewed in a focus group. The themes that emerged during data analysis correlated to the four components of EI of teacher self-being, self-control, emotionality, and sociability. The implications of the study were that teachers are not only able to regulate and reflect on their own emotions, but also on those of their peers. Principals and peer must communicate clear and transparent expectations. A climate and culture that is geared towards students success helps to build EI. Recommendations for future practice are to allow teachers time to collaborate with their peers during the workday and to provide training and building time in the day for teachers to practice mindfulness. Recommendations for future research are to study a larger teacher sample to determine EI. [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.]