Teacher Retention: A Low-Cost Way to Keep Valued Staff

School districts are experiencing a teacher retention crisis, with a mass exodus of experienced professionals leaving their jobs to retire early or change careers. At the same time, fewer people are becoming teachers: New Jersey has seen new provisional teacher certifications decline by more than 40 percent in the past decade. If we don’t solve the teacher shortage problem, we risk failing to prepare young people to lead successful and productive lives.

Let’s take a closer look at where things stand today and how we got to this point. Then we’ll explore how districts can improve teacher retention with a low-cost strategy that has the power to boost morale, job performance, and student outcomes.

Teacher retention: why it’s harder than ever

Why are teachers so discouraged that they’re willing to give up their long-term careers? 

• Unrealistic expectations. Students' behavior and skills are far behind what was considered "normal" for the age group in the past, and teachers are pressured to get students to achieve results that don't match their readiness.
• Disrespect. Teachers are increasingly subjected to language and behavior bordering on abuse from parents and students.
• Working conditions. Rising class sizes, declining resources, and alarming student behavior have driven teacher morale to a breaking point. Over two-thirds describe their jobs as "overwhelming."

These trends paint a grim picture of the future of education. So how can we turn this around, especially when our budgets are stretched to the limit?

Build teacher retention with training and support

To make things better for teachers and improve outcomes, schools must understand and address the underlying mental health and behavioral issues that impact students’ ability to learn. 

The good news is, there is a low-cost strategy that offers great potential: Arm school staff with resources and training to better manage the emotional and behavioral challenges they face in the classroom.

1. Provide basic training in emotional & behavioral health 

The fact is, most educators were not trained to recognize and manage emotional and behavioral health issues. But that’s what we’re facing in every classroom today. Here’s how basic PD can help:

• Administrators begin to understand the true impact of the mental health crisis and how it’s impacting students and teachers. They can adjust unrealistic expectations and work toward creating a more supportive climate and culture in their district. 
• Teachers are problem solvers by nature. Training gives them information and effective tactics that make a measurable difference in the classroom, improving student outcomes and their own job satisfaction.
• Support staff (such as paraprofessionals) can learn more effective ways to interact with and support students to help them become independent learners.

We’re not talking about a huge time commitment for people who are already overwhelmed and overworked. A one-hour video shown during a staff meeting or as part of a PD session can provide actionable strategies that deliver results quickly. When that happens, the morale and confidence boost is palpable.

Here are a few examples of the skills school staff can gain through a small investment in asynchronous learning: 

• Addressing emotional dysregulation and managing classroom behavior 
• Understanding student mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, and trauma 
• Responding effectively to the threat of violence
• Motivating students and building their resilience
• Working through conflicts (with students and parents)

Learn more about PD for school staff.

2. Share mental health resources with parents and students

If school staff have little experience and training in managing mental health and behavioral problems, most parents have far less knowledge in this area. Providing helpful resources to the entire community — including parents and students  — can be eye-opening and impactful:

• How social media and technology affect mental health
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Improving emotional regulation
• Recognizing trauma and building resilience
• How to talk about drugs and alcohol

By sharing and promoting low-cost resources with their communities, schools can help families begin to help themselves, bringing about improvements in emotional health, behavior, and learning. This type of communication can also help to build respect and cooperation between home and school.

Learn more about Thrive’s Parent Academy and Student Academy content.

3. Raise competence & confidence with coaching and certification 

In an ideal world, every school district would have a trained mental health clinician working with students, parents, and school staff to address emotional and behavioral issues. Unfortunately, that’s no longer possible everywhere as budgets are stretched paper-thin. 

However, there is an affordable way to address mental wellness and provide much-needed support for teachers: give your staff access to an expert coach. With ongoing coaching and training, your valued teachers and counselors can:

• Fill the gaps in their foundational knowledge about behavior and mental health
• Be empowered to improve classroom behavior problems and learning
• Get real-time expert advice for problem-solving  
• Gain confidence and resilience 
• Benefit from appreciation, encouragement, and validation of their efforts
• Become Certified School Mental Wellness SpecialistsTM who can teach and empower other staff members, students, and families 
• Build a stronger and more supportive school community where teachers want to stay

This strategy is the antidote to morale issues, especially when you lack funding to give pay raises or reduce workloads. Building mental health expertise leads to stronger schools, greater educational outcomes, increased staff fulfillment, and lower costs for districts.

Learn more about Thrive’s Coaching, Training, and Certification program.