The number of schools reporting unfilled teaching vacancies is rising. Of course, the challenge of recruiting and retaining good teachers is nothing new, particularly in “hard-to-staff” schools and in subjects like math and science. But the COVID-19 pandemic significantly exacerbated teacher attrition. In a national survey by Rand Corporation, district leaders reported a 10% rate of teacher turnover – 4% above pre-pandemic levels.
Teacher losses are a problem to take seriously. Among all school-based resources, researchers have consistently found that classroom teachers have the strongest effects on student outcomes. When good teachers leave, studies find subsequent declines in student learning and working conditions in the schools they depart. Replacing teachers is no easy task either—it is both expensive and time-consuming.
Why Teachers Leave the Classroom
Sometimes teachers leave the classroom because of life circumstances (e.g., retirement, personal health, family, and caregiving responsibilities) that have little to do with what happens inside the school walls. Career interests and goals can also change, leading educators to exit the profession.
But work-related factors represent a significant proportion (nearly 40%) of all the reasons why teachers report leaving. On surveys, teachers routinely say that low compensation is a critical factor. In an analysis that combined the results of 14 studies over the past four decades, teachers with higher salaries were less likely to leave the teaching profession. Other factors behind teacher attrition are poor administrative support, student behavioral issues, a perceived lack of respect from parents, and emotional exhaustion and burnout.
So What Can Leaders Do?
Numerous studies explore approaches to teacher retention. Unfortunately, only a small number meet rigorous standards for social science research. The credible studies that do exist tend to deal with strategies in three major areas: teacher pay, administrative support, and professional learning.
Teacher Pay
Studies indicate that when school districts increase pay, they have a better chance of keeping teachers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many recommended solutions are focused on state legislative changes to teacher compensation. Yet, there are approaches for school leaders to consider. One is to provide pay increases to teachers engaged in leadership roles (e.g., mentors, coaches, department chairs). Scholars contend that this strategy can not only increase retention of the best teachers, but also give them recognition beyond a mere change in title.
School leaders can also use performance pay and one-time retention and recruitment bonuses. A study of one of the oldest performance-pay systems in the nation reported improvements in teacher retention from bonuses amounting to 10-20 percent of a teacher’s salary. Leading teacher evaluation scholars estimate that incentives of about 25 percent of a teacher’s salary might neutralize the effects of turnover in hard-to-staff schools. In a rigorous study of 80 “priority schools” in Tennessee, results showed that bonuses of $5,000 produced higher rates of retention among teachers in tested grades. While there is evidence that bonuses can work, many questions remain about who should receive them and how the amount and timing of bonuses might impact retention rates.
Administrative Supports
Evidence suggests that leaders can influence retention by supporting teachers’ work. In a recent analysis of 120 studies, administrative support was cited as one of the most influential factors in teachers decisions to leave.
In the research literature, studies have analyzed administrative supports like induction/mentoring programs, increased planning and collaboration time, enhanced instructional autonomy, and approaches to shared decision-making. Numerous studies have linked these types of administrative supports to decreased stress and burnout, increased job satisfaction and commitment—conditions that are connected to teachers’ decisions to stay or leave.
A team of researchers amassed years of studies on the effects of authority and systems of rules and regulations that can hinder teaching and learning. Collectively, these studies show a correlation between teacher commitment and trust and school leaders who treat teachers as professionals, demonstrate flexibility, and who adopt open authority structures characterized by shared decision making and few formal rules.
Professional Learning
The role of leaders in supporting the development of teachers appears to be crucial to their longevity in the profession though much more evidence is needed in this area. Existing research evidence highlights the potential for on-going professional learning opportunities to support teachers in ways that are likely to keep them. The general conclusions are that professional learning is best when it is on-going and not episodic; it is job-embedded, content-focused, and incorporates active learning, modeling, and expert support.
Moreover, emerging evidence points to changing needs for professional learning. Early-career teachers, for example, may benefit from targeted support to ease their transition into the profession. Induction programs are promising in this respect. Based on an analysis of 17 studies published between 2010 – 2019, induction programs were related to higher retention for early career teachers.
Although current research is certainly not definitive, there are useful insights for leaders that might be inferred from the existing evidence base.
-
Get to know your teachers and support their work. To support teachers, understand their experiences in school. Develop a personal connection with each teacher. Get to know them, their needs, and listen to their concerns. These habits demonstrate that you are interested in them, care about their well-being, and consider them an important part of the school community. Have early and candid conversations about returning to teach next year.
-
Customize professional learning. Invest in the knowledge and skills of teachers. Provide teachers with the freedom to choose their professional learning; one-size-fits-all PD rarely works. Work to support teachers during their first few years, easing the transition to teaching (e.g., teacher induction programs).
-
Foster teacher leadership. Show teachers that you value their knowledge and expertise. Give them a say in important decisions that will affect them and their work. Encourage teacher leadership and find ways to compensate teachers for taking on leadership roles. Support teachers in front of parents and other teachers. And communicate the rationale behind decisions on important matters, especially when they might be contrary to teachers’ wishes.
-
Protect teachers’ autonomy. Trust your teachers to do their job and avoid “top-down,” micromanaging behaviors. Design a school environment and schedule (including teacher planning time) that prioritizes teacher collaboration. Work to remove bureaucratic barriers that impede and/or frustrate teachers’ work. Leaders can shield teachers from unreasonable accountability pressures that harm teachers’ motivation. Improvement should be less about “ticking boxes” and more about building relationships and professional norms that contribute to student success
Understandably, a singular focus on supporting teachers can leave leaders feeling like: “What about me?” Indeed, effective leadership often means juggling many responsibilities while taking on the needs of others. It is demanding work. But a leader is probably not as effective if they are physically and emotionally exhausted themselves. Leaders should set healthy boundaries for work activities and schedule time each day to work on personal health goals. This is akin to the directive for oxygen masks on airplanes: You must first help yourself before you are able to help others.
Author Bio
Timothy Ford is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Director of the THRIVE Center at the University of Oklahoma.
