Supports Associated with Teacher Retention

The Michigan Department of Education wants to improve the retention of effective teachers. This study from REL Midwest informs that effort by identifying teacher supports currently in place in traditional school districts and charter schools (called public school academies in Michigan) that are associated with teacher retention. Key findings include the following: Michigan teachers who responded to a survey most frequently reported the presence of supports related to the teacher evaluation system in their traditional school district or public school academy. Very few teachers reported supports involving compensation and financial benefits other than their salary. Teacher retention was higher in traditional school districts that had mentoring programs for new teachers, provided new teachers with an orientation to the school, encouraged regular communication between new teachers and school leaders, and provided annual salary increases. Teacher retention was higher in public school academies that had sufficient instructional resources, organized professional development, had mentoring programs for new teachers, and provided opportunities for teachers to set goals in their evaluations. For traditional school districts and public school academies that served large percentages of economically disadvantaged students, including opportunities for teachers to set goals in their evaluations and providing annual salary increases were associated with teacher retention. Details: Statewide teacher shortages are hindering Michigan's efforts to ensure that all students have equitable access to qualified teachers. Implementing teacher supports—which may be policies, practices, or programs—to increase teacher retention offers a way to alleviate shortages. This study identified supports implemented by local education agencies (traditional school districts and charter schools) that are associated with teacher retention. The study examined local teacher retention rates from 2013/14 to 2018/19 and teachers' responses to a survey about teacher supports in their local agencies and their perceptions of those supports. Average annual teacher retention rates among Michigan's local education agencies ranged from 33 percent to 100 percent in the six-year period. The likelihood that teachers would remain teaching in their local education agency was higher in local education agencies that served lower percentages of students who were economically disadvantaged, higher percentages of students who were White, and higher percentages of students proficient in English language arts. And the likelihood was higher in agencies that had regular supportive communication between new teachers and school leaders, implemented mentoring programs, provided new teachers with an orientation to their school, allowed teachers to set goals in their evaluations, and provided teachers with sufficient instructional resources. The study also found that supports associated with teacher retention varied by the type of local education agency and the percentage of students who were economically disadvantaged. Findings from this study can help education agencies in Michigan prioritize which of 30 teacher supports examined merit more rigorous investigation.