Strategies for Teacher Retention.

Strategies for teacher retention are presented, including successful approaches and elements for operating a state system for personnel recruitment and retention in special education. Such initiatives as the Utah Mentor Teacher Academy; the Texas Teacher Recruitment, Retention and Assistance Program; and the Kansas Recruitment/Retention Project are briefly discussed, along with elements of beginning teacher programs implemented in 34 states. Major components of a state personnel recruitment and retention system are identified, including data collection and analysis, marketing and recruitment, training and certification, and professional support and enhancement. Appendixes offer strategies which can influence job satisfaction and commitment through teacher supports or work environment changes, in excerpts from four papers: "Fourteen Tips to Help Special Educators Deal with Stress" (ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education); "The Problems of Getting Started: What Administrators Should Know about Beginning Special Education Teachers" (D. J. Gallagher); "Finding and Keeping Experienced Special Education Teachers" (J. M. Schnorr); and from "Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Exceptional Teachers: Strategies for Florida School Districts" chapter 3 "Retention: Keeping Qualified Personnel" (Florida Department of Education). (SW)