Visualizing Washington's Teacher Workforce
Understanding the trends impacting teacher recruitment and retention
Beginning Teachers
Understanding where first-year teachers are concentrated and the student populations they serve
Key Findings
- On average, 5 percent of teachers had no prior teaching experience in 2016/17—more than double the 2 percent of teachers who were in their first year of teaching in 2011/12.
- In 90 percent of districts, less than 10 percent of teachers in the workforce were beginning their careers in 2016/17.
- Districts with high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and districts with low student achievement had higher-than-average percentages of first-year teachers.
The percentage of first-year teachers has increased over time.
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
No data available | <1.0% | 1.0–4.9% | 5.0–9.9% | >10%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Some districts have percentages of new teachers that are consistently above the state average. For example, each year between 2013/14 and 2016/17, at least one in 10 teachers employed by Bethel, Mount Adams, and Wahluke school districts had no prior experience.
The map shows the change in student enrollment between 2011/12 and 2016/17 for each district in Washington.
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
<1% | 1–4.9% | 5–9.9% | >10%
Districts with high student enrollment growth and higher-than-average percentages of beginning teachers
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
Largest decrease (>125 students) | Change of -125 to +700 students | Largest increase (>720 students)
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
Often, districts with the largest increases in student population also had above-average percentages of beginning teachers in 2016/17. Between 2011/12 and 2016/17, Washington’s student population grew by over 64,000 students—from 1,038,503 in 2011/12 to 1,102,579 in 2016/17—with the largest increases concentrated in the Puget Sound region, which includes Seattle.
In addition, districts with high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch tended to have higher-than-average percentages of beginning teachers. Districts that had at least 5 percent beginning teachers in 2016/17 are highlighted in the map below.
LEGEND: Percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
0–34% | 35–49% | 50–63% | 64–100% | Community Eligibility Provision district
Similarly, districts with the lowest proficiency rates on standardized assessments tended to have higher percentages of beginning teachers. The map below highlights 10 of the 17 districts that had less than 25 percent of students proficient in math in 2016/17. These districts also had at least 5 percent beginning teachers in 2016/17.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who scored proficient or advances on state standardized assessments
0–24%
Questions to Consider
How might approaches to supporting beginning teachers need to be strengthened to support growing numbers of new professionals entering the field?
How are teacher preparation programs helping prepare teacher candidates to work in high-poverty or low-performing schools?
What strategies are schools and districts using to retain beginning teachers?
What state and local interventions might help districts with fast-growing student populations hire and retain teachers?
Key Findings
- On average, 5 percent of teachers had no prior teaching experience in 2016/17—more than double the 2 percent of teachers who were in their first year of teaching in 2011/12.
- In 90 percent of districts, less than 10 percent of teachers in the workforce were beginning their careers in 2016/17.
- Districts with high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and districts with low student achievement had higher-than-average percentages of first-year teachers.
The percentage of first-year teachers has increased over time.
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
No data available | <1.0% | 1.0–4.9% | 5.0–9.9% | >10%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Some districts have percentages of new teachers that are consistently above the state average. For example, each year between 2013/14 and 2016/17, at least one in 10 teachers employed by Bethel, Mount Adams, and Wahluke school districts had no prior experience.
The map shows the change in student enrollment between 2011/12 and 2016/17 for each district in Washington.
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
<1% | 1–4.9% | 5–9.9% | >10%
Districts with high student enrollment growth and higher-than-average percentages of beginning teachers
LEGEND: Percentage of beginning teachers
Largest decrease (>125 students) | Change of -125 to +700 students | Largest increase (>720 students)
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
Often, districts with the largest increases in student population also had above-average percentages of beginning teachers in 2016/17. Between 2011/12 and 2016/17, Washington’s student population grew by over 64,000 students—from 1,038,503 in 2011/12 to 1,102,579 in 2016/17—with the largest increases concentrated in the Puget Sound region, which includes Seattle.
In addition, districts with high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch tended to have higher-than-average percentages of beginning teachers. Districts that had at least 5 percent beginning teachers in 2016/17 are highlighted in the map below.
LEGEND: Percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
0–34% | 35–49% | 50–63% | 64–100% | Community Eligibility Provision district
Similarly, districts with the lowest proficiency rates on standardized assessments tended to have higher percentages of beginning teachers. The map below highlights 10 of the 17 districts that had less than 25 percent of students proficient in math in 2016/17. These districts also had at least 5 percent beginning teachers in 2016/17.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who scored proficient or advances on state standardized assessments
0–24%
Questions to Consider
How might approaches to supporting beginning teachers need to be strengthened to support growing numbers of new professionals entering the field?
How are teacher preparation programs helping prepare teacher candidates to work in high-poverty or low-performing schools?
What strategies are schools and districts using to retain beginning teachers?
What state and local interventions might help districts with fast-growing student populations hire and retain teachers?