Retention

Starting from the premise that teachers and school leaders have the greatest influence on student outcomes, this report presents strategies for recruiting teachers and principals and ensuring opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.

This pilot study, which focuses on school districts in Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, finds that teacher turnover is costly and has a direct correlation with student outcomes in at-risk schools. The study includes a detailed analysis of recruitment, hiring, and replacement costs in five school districts.

This North Carolina-based study explores the impact of teacher experience on student learning and concludes that greater teacher experience is correlated with improved student outcomes, both in terms of achievement and behavior, demonstrating that teachers learn on the job.

This case study focuses on an innovative teacher contract approved and implemented in Baltimore in 2012 under Dr. Andres Alonso, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools. The contract is accompanied by a four-tier career pathway that links teacher performance to pay and promotion. Within the pathway, teachers can earn higher pay by collecting achievement units or completing peer-reviewed projects.

This report comprises statistical tables describing principal attrition and mobility, and was based on a sample of 7,500 public and 1,700 private schools. The report includes statistics on levels of education and the experience of principals as well as information on school climate and working conditions.

This database compiles collective bargaining agreements and state policies for more than 100 of the largest school districts in all 50 states, and also generates customized reports by district. The database includes teacher contracts and policies, past and present, and a quick facts section for each district. 

In this report, the Alliance for Excellent Education examines why teacher turnover rates are high among beginning teachers and recommends a comprehensive induction program to increase teacher retention, especially among new teachers. 

This report from the Center for American Progress examines policies and practices that states, districts, and schools can leverage to improve the overall quality of the educator workforce and ensure that all students have access to effective teachers. 

This website, developed by a team from the Pahara-Aspen Teacher-Leader Fellows, offers overviews and links to resources from schools, districts, and support organizations to help teachers and their schools, unions, and districts design high-quality collaborative, job-embedded, teacher-led professional learning that leads to better student learning.

This brief from the Center for American Progress looks at compensations rates for teachers across the states and finds that not only are teachers being paid less than they deserve, they are not being paid enough to support their families. In order to stem attrition rates and encourage good teachers to remain in the profession, some states and districts have implemented innovative compensation schemes. The brief takes a look at some of them and finds that initial results are promising.