Recruiting and Retaining Teachers for Hard-to-Staff Schools. Issue Brief

Although states have maintained a focus on recruiting and retaining teachers, many schools and districts still face daunting challenges in ensuring a qualified and competent teaching corps. It is particularly difficult for schools considered hard to staff-those with high concentrations of low-performing, low-income students; high teacher turnover; and relatively high percentages of teachers who are less than fully certified. States are experimenting with numerous strategies for recruiting and retaining teachers, and some of them are trying particularly to help hard-to-staff schools. To date, there is little hard evidence of the impact of many of their efforts. However, some practices appear promising. To help meet the needs of chronically hard-to-staff schools, governors should consider short-and long-term efforts to: (1) Evaluate and assess current strategies by collecting, analyzing, and using better data; (2) Offer a flexible package of financial incentives to meet different local needs, possibly including substantial changes to traditional pay structures; (3) Track, analyze, and improve teacher working conditions, including ensuring strong school leadership, time for teachers to develop their teaching craft, and sufficient materials and resources to teach effectively; and (4) Improve preparation and support for beginning teachers. (Contains 27 endnotes.)