Strategic Retention of Seasoned Educators: Provide the Needed Support for Their Continued Employment
Improving Teacher Retention in High-Need Schools: A Comprehensive Approach
Teachers can continue to grow and improve well into their second decade in the classroom, especially in the right environments. This is according to a joint review by the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
The review highlights key factors that support continued teacher growth and retention in high-need schools. One of these factors is investing in high-quality teacher preparation and mentoring programs, especially targeted towards high-need schools. Early-career support helps teachers improve significantly during their first five years, a critical period for growth.
Another important factor is creating strong working conditions that promote teacher stability and collaboration. This includes providing protected planning time and consistent teaching assignments, which fosters a school culture where teachers can thrive and sustain their effectiveness.
Principals should be trained as instructional leaders capable of building strong, supportive school cultures, which positively impact teacher retention and growth. Additionally, policymakers should consider providing meaningful financial incentives and other supports to retain experienced teachers in the classrooms that need them most.
Research shows that teachers generally improve significantly during their first five years, with continued, albeit slower, improvement well into years 6 through 15. Teachers also improve more when they're able to teach the same grade level or subject year after year.
Collaborative efforts between diverse organizations, including LPI and Fordham Institute, emphasize the importance of rigorous, evidence-based policy reshaping teacher preparation, retention, and ongoing support. This moves beyond ideological divides to focus on what works for maintaining a strong teacher workforce in challenging environments.
Unfortunately, high-need schools are more likely to see teachers leave after just a few years, making it nearly impossible to build a stable, experienced workforce. However, schools with strong leadership, collaboration opportunities, and a culture of professional trust see greater gains in teacher retention over time.
In conclusion, policies to support teacher retention in high-need schools should holistically address preparation, mentoring, leadership, working conditions, and incentives based on evidence that teacher experience and continuous growth improve student outcomes.
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- Investing in education policy that prioritizes equal access to quality education and self-development resources, such as high-quality teacher preparation and mentoring programs, can help address inequality in high-need schools and promote teacher retention.
- To ensure an education system that fosters innovation, it would be beneficial for education policy to focus on creating strong working conditions that provide protected planning time, consistent assignments, and promote collaboration, thus fostering teacher stability and encouraging continuous growth.
- As teachers' learning and growth have a significant impact on educational outcomes, it is crucial for education policy to address factors such as teacher retention, preparation, mentoring, leadership, working conditions, and financial incentives to build a stable, experienced workforce in high-need schools.
