1. Retaining Missouri’s Quality Educators: Keeping Our Program Completers in the Profession
Presented AT Missouri Association of Colleges For Teacher Education Spring Conference
March 25, 2019

2. Driving Questions
What experiences impact novice teachers’ decisions to remain at a school, district, or in the profession?
What are districts doing to retain quality educators?

3. Teacher Workforce Demographics in Missouri’s Public Schools
Gender & Race, Ethnicity:
• The total number of classroom teachers increased by 0.6 percent from to
• The percentage of teachers who are black and other ethnicities remained at 6.8 percent.
Age & Experience:
• Teachers with 10 or fewer years of experience represent 49.9 percent of our teachers and there was a 0.9 percent decrease in teachers with five or fewer years.

4. Teacher Workforce Dynamics
• From to , the percentage of first-year teachers who left the classroom with less than three years increased by 5.0 percent.
• From to , the percentage of first-year teachers who left the classroom after five years increased by 1.9 percent.
• District hiring rates are at 10.8 percent, which is a decrease of 0.5 percent from
• The percentage of district new hires who were first-year teachers decreased by 0.3 percent.
Source: 2018 UPDATE
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF TEACHERS IN MISSOURI PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A REPORT TO THE MISSOURI GENERAL ASSEMBLY

5. The Surveys Instruments:
K – 12 Partners survey
Questions patterned after those included in the Teacher Voices 2000 survey commissioned by Scholastic, Inc.
Methodology:
The first survey was sent to alumni from our three institutions who have been teaching for 3 – 5 years. In this survey, we asked educators what factors or experiences have been most important for them while deciding to stay in the teaching profession.
In the second survey, we asked HR representatives and administrators from schools/districts throughout the metropolitan Kansas City area about their retention rate and specific strategies being employed at the school or district level to retain quality educators.

6. Avila, Park, and Rockhurst University
Alumni Survey Results
Avila, Park, and Rockhurst University

7. Number of Participants
We surveyed program completers, teachers who have now been certified for 3-5 years.
University
Number of Participants
Avila 5
Park
Rockhurst 24
N = 34
At Rockhurst, we sent the survey to approximately 150 alumni, a 17% response rate.

8. Participants
N = 34

9. Participants

10. Reasons for originally choosing to teach

11. Supports Needed To Stay

12. K – 12 Teacher Retention Survey Results
schools/districts representing public, private, charter, parochial, urban, suburban, and rural.

13. Number of Participants
We surveyed 28 schools/districts representing public, private, charter, parochial, urban, suburban, and rural. .
School/District
Number of Participants
Public/Suburban 5
Private/Parochial 3
Public/Urban/Charter
N = 11

14. Average Annual Retention Rate
Question: On average, what is your annual retention rate? .
School/District
Average Annual Retention Rate
Public/Suburban
91.4% (Range 88 to 94)
Private/Parochial
86.7% (Range 85 to 90)
Public/Urban/Charter
78.3% (Range 75 to 90)
N = 11

15. Question: What Content Areas Experience the Highest Annual Turnover Rate?

16. Question: What Grade Levels Experience the Highest Annual Turnover Rate?

17. Question: What Factors Most Contribute to Teacher Turnover in Your District?

18. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the District Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Compensation Improvement, Improvement of Employee Engagement and Well Being
Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, negotiated tuition discounts with partner universities (ranging from 10-50%), and quality of work life initiatives.
Strong Mentoring Program, Regular New Hire Follow Up Interviews, Classroom Visits, 6 Days Paid Onboarding/Training, Instructional Coach Support .

19. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the District Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Policy revision for paid annual leave days instead of buckets of leave (sick & personal);
A culture of support for teachers - mentor program for all new and existing employees need assistance, model teachers,
Behavior interventionist at each building,
Rich personalized professional development (student-centered focused on future-ready skills), and
Support for the well-being of all employees;.

20. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the District Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Explore opportunities to develop partnerships with universities that have exceptional teacher education programs; and analysis of compensation and benefits
Competitive salaries, tuition remission for teachers' children, and excellent working conditions
Annual staff meetings and focus group meetings to gain insight on the key issues/concerns of staff, and comparison of competitive salary schedules

21. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the District Level to Retain Quality Teachers
New teacher support. Competitive salaries. Career advancement opportunities.
Year-long on-boarding of new faculty members to provide them with ongoing resources throughout their (very busy) first year.
Invest much of Title funding into summer time professional development courses to build teacher practice and place a high value on their growth and development.
Competitive Salaries and annual raises, affordable health insurance, on site health clinic, paid professional development during the summer

22. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the Building Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Professional growth support
Collaborative time, and many other
Relationship building supports
Building level mentoring led by principal
A culture of support for teachers - mentor program for all new and existing employees need assistance,
Model teachers
Behavior interventionist at each building

23. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the Building Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Rich personalized professional development (student-centered focused on future-ready skills),
Celebrating teacher and student success
Support for the well-being of all employees
Developing excellent working conditions
Supporting the teachers in continued growth and development
New teacher support
Competitive salaries

24. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the Building Level to Retain Quality Teachers
Career advancement opportunities
Building leadership teams are more empowered to provide input and direction on items that directly impact their work
Protocols implemented so that principals are connecting with new teachers more often, not just in an evaluative sense, but also in a mentor format where they can coach from an instructional place.

25. What Specific Strategies are Being Employed at the Building Level to Retain Quality Teachers
District wide day check in with set questions at each check in.
Early out Wednesdays for Data Review Teams
More input into the hiring of colleagues
Jeans days and other recognition incentives

26. Conversation Starters
What other incentives could be used in Districts or state-wide to encourage teachers to stay in the teaching profession?  Other than movement on the salary schedule?  
How can Districts encourage self-care in the teacher work force?  How can Districts help teachers to not feel "burn out"?  What have you seen in the field that has been successful?
What can Universities do to help support teachers after they've graduated and left the University program?  What have you tried, or what does this information make you think about trying?
Do we find this information "heartening" or "disheartening"?  What could MACTE as a large group do to influence teacher retention?

27. Natalie Cobb, Avila University
Brant Winn, Park University
Sarah Hicks, Rockhurst University
Janet Spallo Mitchelson, Rockhurst University