For more than 50 years, the RELs have collaborated with school districts, state departments of education, and other education stakeholders to help them generate and use evidence and improve student outcomes. Read more
Home Products REL Midwest study explores teacher supports to promote teacher retention
Statewide teacher shortages are hindering Michigan’s efforts to ensure that all students have equitable access to qualified teachers. Increasing teacher retention through the use of policies, practices, or programs that support teachers may help alleviate shortages. Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education and the Midwest Alliance to Improve Teacher Preparation, conducted a study to identify teacher supports at the local level associated with teacher retention.
>> Read and download the full report and companion infographic.
Alleviating teacher shortages is one of the Michigan Department of Education’s top priorities and goals. One key strategy is to identify and promote teacher supports—policies, practices, and programs—that school districts and charter schools (known as public school academies in Michigan) can use to increase teacher retention. This study helps to inform these efforts by examining which teacher supports are associated with teacher retention.
The study looked at 30 teacher supports representing four broad categories: supports for new teachers, compensation and benefits, evaluation, and professional development. To examine these supports, researchers analyzed responses from a fall 2020 survey of Michigan public school teachers who had taught at the same district or public school academy for three to five years. The survey asked respondents about the teacher supports available to them and their perceptions of those supports. The study team then correlated the survey responses with teacher retention at each district or public school academy from 2013/14 to 2018/19. These statistical procedures controlled for other teacher and local agency factors.
Key findings include the following:
These findings should be considered in the context of certain study limitations. Because of its correlational design, the study cannot identify specific supports that cause or lead to higher teacher retention, only those associated with higher retention. In addition, the survey had a low response rate (12 percent), due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the findings should not be viewed as representative of all local education agencies in Michigan or of all teachers with three to five years of experience in the same local education agency. See the report for more information.
The study’s findings can help the Michigan Department of Education prioritize supports as it develops a suite of tools, resources, and technical assistance services for local education agencies to improve teacher retention. The findings also can help local education leaders prioritize which teacher supports merit further investment and investigation. Educators may want to prioritize the following:
To learn more about the study and its findings, read the full report. A one-page snapshot, four-page brief, and infographic are also available. For more information about REL Midwest’s work to support the teacher pipeline, see the following related resources:
Author(s)
Mia Mamone
Connect with REL Midwest