Teachers are the life-blood of school districts across the United States. They are masters of their specific grade-level content and work tirelessly to manage the learning and well-being of their students. Teachers are the academic leaders of the learning environment within their classrooms and collaborate with their students throughout the year in order to facilitate learning, and foster creativity and problem solving. However, over the last thirty years, teacher leadership has taken on a whole new meaning. Teachers are being placed in the center of how schools function and are being asked to aid in crucial decisions about the academic direction of the school (Warren, 2016). Research by York-Barr and Duke (2004), states “teacher leadership roles range from assisting with the management of schools to evaluating educational initiatives and facilitating professional learning communities” (p. 1). While teacher leadership is evolving, the perceptions that teachers have regarding themselves as leaders has not truly been uncovered. This literature review is an attempt to highlight the research surrounding teacher leadership. It begins with the foundations of teacher leadership which includes the history of teacher leadership, the evolving definition of teacher leadership, and finally a summary of current teacher leadership development programs. The next section examines research-based realizations of empowering teachers as leaders, looking at barriers and