National teacher shortages have received attention in the last few years, and researchers have projected turnover rates will grow in the upcoming years. As a result, districts and administrators were challenged to hire highly qualified teachers. There needed to be more educational research regarding why teachers remained in urban Title I schools. Due to the lack of research, further research was necessary to form a better understanding of increasing elementary school teacher retention. Elementary school teachers from one school district in Georgia responded to a questionnaire to explore the motivational factors influencing their retention in Title I schools. The 29 certified teachers indicated the following motivational factors influencing their retention in urban Title I schools aligned into eight themes: acceptance, altruism, educational systems, interpersonal skills, job satisfaction, leadership, resiliency, and work-related stress. In this study, I explored the teacher retention crisis, beginning with understanding the factors that influenced teacher retention. While there was abundant research data on teacher attrition, there needed to be more research on the factors affecting teacher retention. Identifying characteristics that support teacher retention was crucial for maintaining a skilled and satisfied staff. School districts and managers must learn how to establish systems that cater to the essential requirements of instructors working in high-poverty, low-performing schools. [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.]