Solving the teacher shortage: How to attract and retain excellent educators

This paper reviews an extensive body of research on teacher recruitment and retention, and identifies five major factors that influence teachers’ decisions to enter, stay in, or leave the teaching profession, generally, and high-need schools, specifically. Those factors are: 1. Salaries and other compensation; 2. Preparation and costs to entry; 3. Hiring and personnel management; 4.Induction and support for new teachers; 5.Working conditions, including school leadership, professional collaboration and shared decision-making, accountability systems, and resources for teaching and learning.

Based on the review and analysis, the paper outlines local, state, and federal policies, grounded in research, that can help to recruit and retain excellent teachers, especially in the highest-need schools.