Retention

This brief, written by the Education Commission of the States, examines the necessity of strong school leadership and lists steps states can take to ensure that all schools have effective leaders. Key areas addressed in the brief are: school leadership standards, recruitment, preparation design and program approval, certification and licensure, mentoring, induction, and professional development, evaluation and ongoing support. The brief also provides additional state policy considerations and corresponding examples.  

This brief by the Center for American Progress highlights how some states use funding through Title II, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to strengthen the teacher pipeline by recruiting, preparing, and supporting teachers. The report provides examples of state models that have made notable advancements in the areas of: recruitment and diversity, teacher preparation and new teacher support, licensure and certification, compensation and loan forgiveness, data support, and pipeline-spanning initiatives.

This Chiefs for Change brief highlights the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE)’s efforts to engage teachers as leaders, often through roles such as instructional, curriculum, or content area coaches. Relative to teacher leadership, this brief delves into the state’s vision and theory of change, roles and responsibilities for states and districts, and the process for scaling, assessing, and improving the teacher leadership efforts. 

In this report, Education Resource Strategies (ERS) examines Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE)’s efforts to develop high-quality, standards-aligned curricula as a tool to help teachers implement new, rigorous college- and career-readiness standards (CCRS).

This report from the Center for American Progress calls for the expansion of supported entry programs for new teachers. The report examines several types of programs, including extended clinical preparation, residencies, and induction programs, that provide opportunities for new teachers to spend time working alongside experienced peers learning and practicing basic teaching skills that lays the foundation for mastering more complex aspects of their practice.

This paper presents findings from an analysis using student-level data over ten years to investigate the long-term impact of students having teachers of the same race in elementary grades.  Findings indicate that having a black teacher in grades 3-5 significantly reduces the likelihood of black male students, particularly those most economically disadvantaged, of dropping out of high school, and increases the likelihood that low-income black male and female students aspire to attend four-year colleges.

This report from Deans for Impact focuses on the application of “deliberate practice,” or activities based on research-based principles that are purposeful and designed to maximize improvement, to develop novice teachers. The report examines five key principles drawn from studies of individuals who have excelled in a variety of fields and how these principles can be used to develop teaching skill.

This report by the Center for American Progress (CAP) summarizes the findings of a 108-school district survey focused on human capital systems. CAP compares recruitment, selection, evaluation, and retention systems and practices used in school districts to those used in other sectors, including banking, retail, technology, and consulting. Additionally, CAP examines district practices for recruiting and supporting diverse candidates.