Today’s post is the first in a series where educators suggest strategies districts and schools can take to retain teachers.

Action, Not Talk

Erica Buchanan-Rivera is an educational consultant and DEI project specialist at the College of Education at Butler University. She has served as a teacher, principal of an international magnet school, director of curriculum, adjunct professor, and is the author of Identity Affirming Classrooms: Spaces that Center Humanity.

In most school districts where I have worked, there have been strategic plans to address the recruitment and retention of teachers. I have served in various district-level roles (e.g., chief equity officer, director of equity and inclusion, and director of curriculum) that have challenged me to develop specific initiatives or strategies for the purpose of retention. Although there are many existing publications about the sustainability of educators within the field of education, here are some specific actions I have learned from inviting teachers to co-construct district-level measures for retention:

Compensation: School districts should offer competitive starting rates for teachers. It is important for district leaders within human resource departments to complete compensation analyses across districts to understand comparative rates and offerings in other school communities.

Less Is More: There are many initiatives that exist within school districts, which means that teachers are held accountable for a multitude of things that may have little to do with instructional practices. Oftentimes, the massive number of expectations and timelines for the execution of tasks are unrealistic.

It is helpful for district leaders and teachers to come together and create a visual representation of all mandates across schools and grade levels. Through this process, school leaders can determine what to eliminate. There are responsibilities that cannot be avoided, such as standardized testing, but you could challenge whether every district-level benchmark assessment is needed or if there is a better way to measure what is valued. One does not always have to develop a committee to solve a problem, either. Overall, teachers have more than a full plate, and we must find ways to redirect the focus on things that matter and impact kids.

Action, Not Platitudes: Teaching comes with many challenges while working in unjust systems. School and district leaders cannot tell teachers to indulge in “self-care” with the belief that encouragement alone makes their presence in dysfunctional systems better. Rather than talking about self-care, teachers want caring systems that consider their humanity. They are professionals who are evaluated for their craft and are also fully human. A caring system reflects the way leaders connect, uphold accountability, respond, and empathize with teachers (Buchanan-Rivera, 2022).

Alignment of Practices to Core Values: Many teachers have left districts or the profession because of the misalignment between an organization’s mission and the decisionmaking or actions of leaders. One cannot uphold that they value inclusive practices and walk a leadership line that sends messages of exclusion. When leaders fail to “walk it like they talk it,” it prompts educators who value educational justice to find spaces that are supportive or honors their humanity. This is why mirror work is critical for administrators. It is important for leaders to understand their leadership identity and how they show up those they serve.

Mentorships: Onboarding processes for teachers should include mentorship programs. It is helpful to have a go-to, safe person who can offer ideas, encouragement, and guidance in a new setting. I have reviewed plenty of exit interviews in my career where teachers left a particular school or environment due to lack of support.

Affinity Spaces: Teachers of color and minoritized groups have also discussed the power of affinity spaces. These spaces are designed for people of shared identities to meet in a safe space and discuss lived experiences. I have helped to create affinity spaces for teachers of color and educators who are a part of LGBTQ+ communities. Those spaces have been a supportive structure for teachers that enhance a sense of belonging among minoritized groups.

Meaningful Opportunities: Whether it is professional development or pathways into leadership, teachers are looking for meaningful opportunities within school districts. There has been a lot of discourse about professional development experiences that have missed the mark (e.g., waste of time, checkbox, etc.). When planning professional development experiences, it is necessary to discuss opportunities that align with data, goals, and the professional interests of teachers.

There are teachers who also want to advance into leadership, coaching, or specialist positions. This means that pathways must be created for upward mobility. I have worked with districts that have partnered with universities or have acquired grants to fund graduate-level programs for various certifications (e.g., ENL - English as a New Language, high ability, administrative, etc.). Retention efforts should reflect an investment in teachers’ professional growth.

Protect Teachers: Many laws have emerged that dictate what and how teachers should teach. We also know that political groups have organized to scrutinize the efforts of teachers who strive to create an inclusive environment. Unfortunately, too many headlines demonstrate leaders who side with bigotry and not with what is needed for belonging.

In my experience, I have recruited teachers from different school districts who were harassed by community members and had no support from school leaders. They were left to defend themselves against a wave of right-wing politics. School and district leaders can develop their own positions on educational practices or curriculum that is weaponized for political agendas. For teachers, there is comfort in knowing where leaders stand and how they will be supported.

Start With Pay

For 16 years, Diana Laufenberg taught 7-12 grade students social studies in Wisconsin, Kansas, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. In 2013, Laufenberg partnered with Chris Lehmann to start Inquiry Schools, a nonprofit working to create and support student-centered learning environments that are inquiry-driven, project-based, and utilize modern technology. She currently serves as the executive director and lead teacher for Inquiry Schools:

Pay and compensation will always be at the top of my list for how to retain teachers. Get creative to think about how much money you can raise through taxes to increase teacher salaries. I have worked with districts that have a 20-plus- step schedule and an 11-step schedule and I can easily tell you which one is more enticing for teachers to stick around. If your schedule still awards pay raises for educational attainment, work with the local universities to make more low-/no-cost options available. Consider benefits like paying for their lunches, providing child care on PD days, or bringing health/wellness screening to their doorstep.

While I was in love with my job as a teacher, I was also aware that for nearly a decade, I was making an incredibly low wage, which has ripple effects throughout my life with regard to retirement investments and Social Security payments. We can do better by teachers. Pay and compensation is at the start of that conversation.

Respect comes in a close second to pay for me. Teachers are often expected to work long hours, do extra work, and invest themselves at an incredibly deep level without necessarily being compensated or acknowledged. If you expect teachers to spend time outside the workday—doing more work—pay them or compensate them with time. To do otherwise is to massively disrespect them as a professional.

A second part of that respect is taking time to actually listen to what is happening in their classrooms, with challenging situations and their ideas for improvements. Finally, give them autonomy as much as possible, as we know that allowing for choice and agency is as good for teachers as it is for students. If a teacher has shown you they are skilled, get out of their way.

I cannot tell you how many times I have processed a challenging teacher situation with a principal and had to say: Do they know you are not happy with their progress? (or some variation of that) The admin will then *assure* me that the person knows. To which I counter: Did you tell them specifically? Often, the answer is no.

If a teacher is flailing, SUPPORT THEM. They need help. Accountability is important, but is a weird answer to someone who, for whatever reason, cannot seem to meet expectations. An improvement plan without actual RESOURCES to help them is a fast way for a person to be headed for the door. The churn of this is exhausting. Conversely, if a teacher is doing fabulously, they can also use support in the way of release time to observe other teachers, attend conferences, or write curriculum. Using substitutes in creative ways, having noninstructional staff step in here and there to allow for a teacher to step out of the classroom for a bit, or creating a special day that sets up a different schedule to buy time are all ways to let teachers know that you are supporting them when they are challenged as well as when they are succeeding.

Teaching is an overwhelmingly human-focused job. You will retain the most teachers when you support them as humans—with pay, respect, and support.

P.S. Just get rid of whatever you can that looks like busywork, paperwork. Take a real hard look at what you are asking of your teachers outside the teaching of children and pare down accordingly.

Create ‘a Supportive Work Environment’

Jehan Hakim is a mother and Houston-based consultant with over a decade of experience in empowering educators and organizational leaders through culturally responsive pedagogy and professional development. More at: jehanhakim.com:

School districts are struggling to hire educators as teacher shortages increase, affecting the quality of education for millions of students across the country. Compounding this issue is the fact that over 50 percent of public school students in P-12 schools are students of color, yet they are taught by a workforce that is overwhelmingly (80 percent) white.

Additionally, the number of multilingual students is rising, with English-language learners being the nation’s fastest-growing student demographic. This disparity highlights the urgent need for effective strategies to recruit, retain, and support all teachers, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. Here are some practical actions districts and individual schools can take to retain teachers of all backgrounds and ensure a diverse teaching force:

Recruitment Strategies

Expand Recruitment Efforts: Actively recruit teachers from diverse backgrounds through targeted outreach in colleges, universities, and professional organizations that serve underrepresented groups. Partner with these institutions to create pipelines for diverse teacher-candidates.

Local Community Outreach: Engage with local communities to identify potential teacher-candidates who are already invested in the community. This can include recruiting parents who have demonstrated a strong commitment to education and community involvement. Provide pathways for these individuals to transition into teaching through alternative-certification programs or support in obtaining teaching credentials.

Support for Certification: Provide financial support and mentorship for individuals from diverse backgrounds pursuing teaching certifications. Scholarships, loan-forgiveness programs, and job-placement assistance can help alleviate barriers to entry.

Retention Strategies

Supportive Work Environment: Create a supportive and inclusive work environment that values diversity and promotes collaboration. Mentorship programs, professional development opportunities, and peer-support networks can help teachers feel valued and supported.

Competitive Compensation: Ensure that teachers are fairly compensated for their work, with salaries and benefits that keep pace with the cost of living. Competitive compensation is crucial for retaining talented educators and maintaining their job satisfaction.

Work-Life Balance: Promote policies that support work-life balance, such as reasonable class sizes, adequate planning time, and access to mental health resources. Burnout is a significant factor in teacher attrition, and addressing it can improve retention rates.

Ongoing Professional Development: Invest in professional development programs that address culturally responsive teaching and leadership. Encourage continuous learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion to help teachers of all backgrounds navigate and thrive in diverse classroom environments.

Conclusion

Implementing effective recruitment and retention strategies helps ensure that schools not only attract a diverse group of educators but also retain them over the long term. By creating a supportive work environment, offering competitive compensation, and providing opportunities for professional growth, districts and schools can maintain a strong and dedicated teaching workforce. This stability is crucial for building lasting relationships with students and fostering a consistent, high-quality educational experience.

Thanks to Erica, Diana, and Jehan for contributing their thoughts!

Today’s post answered this question:

What are specific actions districts and individual schools should take to retain teachers?

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