AUTHOR=Hong Ji , Cross Francis Dionne , Wang Qian , Lewis Laura , Parsons Alexandra , Neill Crystal , Meek Diana TITLE=The Role of Trust: Teacher Capacity During School Leadership Transition JOURNAL=Frontiers in Education VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2020 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2020.00108 DOI=10.3389/feduc.2020.00108 ISSN=2504-284X ABSTRACT=The purpose of this research is to examine teachers’ capacities and the role trust plays in the professional lives of teachers during the transition to a new team of three administrators in an elementary school located in a low-income urban community in the U.S. Twenty-seven teachers’ surveys and interviews showed that the transition caused some level of instability and uncertainty; however, teachers had a positive sense of efficacy, social capital, resilience, and emotions. The four themes emerged from the interviews – common goals and vision for students, beliefs in colleagues’ competence, emotional safety and comfort, and being vulnerable with colleagues -- appear to function as conditions to build trust among colleagues. The trusting relationships seem to help teachers withstand the challenging transition by providing a safe space where teachers can learn and grow. Implications for school administrators and district offices were discussed.