This study focuses on factors related to teacher retention, specifically focusing on professional education staff in the state of Michigan. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were certain factors that led to teachers feeling motivated to remain in a profession that has recently experienced some unfavorable attrition rates.…

From 2005 to 2015, the number of Black teachers in Michigan dropped by 48%, substantially exceeding declines in the corresponding K-12 Black student population. These teacher losses are an acute phenomenon within a broader national context of deurbanization of K-12 student populations away from those districts with the largest and most established…

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the influence of principal leadership styles, including their character and behavioral traits, on new teacher motivation and retention in urban K-12 public schools. Specifically, this study examined the similarities and differences regarding what principals and novice teachers perceived…

Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) are tasked with providing preservice teachers with pedagogical theory, practical field experiences, mentorship, and scaffolded professional dispositions during critical phases of their preparation. In addition, EPPs collaborate with school districts and state departments of education to address critical issues…

The specific needs of rural schools and communities have received limited attention from state policy makers, and many state programs have only added to the challenges that school districts in rural areas face. Michigan State University researchers surveyed and interviewed rural superintendents in Michigan to learn more about their situations.…

Since districts are often competing with each other and other higher-paying professions for new hires, it is imperative to consider ways to better engage and appeal to candidates. For human resource (HR) professionals and administrators to improve their efforts, they need to know how to cultivate effective relationships with potential new hires.…

In 2020 a nationwide school closure happened in response to the health concerns associated with the COVID-19 virus. Districts expeditiously approached teachers with an unfamiliar virtual instruction pedagogy while many gave them little support. This unprecedented time in education led to a rise in vacancies in public schools during the pandemic…

Teacher shortages in some regions, schools and content areas have caused states to consider fast-tracking teachers into the classroom through avenues that include little or no clinical preparation. Teachers who enter the profession through these pathways are less likely to be prepared, less effective and less likely to remain in the profession…

Salaries are one of the most powerful policy levers states and school districts can use to attract qualified, effective, and diverse teachers. What role do states play in supporting strategic use of salaries? This report examines the state teacher compensation policies that influence districts' potential strategic use of teacher pay. It analyzes…

We examine the effect of Michigan's 2011 reforms to teacher evaluation and tenure policies on teacher retention. Our data are drawn from administrative records containing the population of public school employees from 2005-2006 through 2014-2015. To identify the causal effects of these reforms on teacher attrition, we utilize a…

The retention of Black teachers in the teaching profession remains challenging due to historical events and policies, low salaries, lack of support from administrators, and other school factors. This action research study aimed to investigate, develop, and implement a retention support program for Black teachers employed in their first-fifth year…

This study uses framing theory and the concept of causal stories to examine beliefs about causes and solutions to improving chronically low-performing schools in response to Michigan's school turnaround policy. Across cases, policymakers and district leaders assigned most responsibility to poor leadership, poverty, and chronic educator turnover as…

Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless of race or Ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the U.S. are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color. Increasing the racial and cultural diversity of the teacher workforce takes a statewide commitment to collecting and analyzing educator workforce…

For any labor market to function properly, clear information is needed to guide decision making; its absence invariably leads to less than optimal decisions and inefficiencies. While the broader labor market is riddled with imperfect information, the teacher labor market is particularly vulnerable--largely for the lack of the most basic…

Educator talent has long been a challenge in Michigan's highest poverty districts and districts serving high percentages of Black and Brown students. These districts have confronted enduring challenges in recruiting, retaining, and compensating highly effective and diverse educators, and this is reflected in outcomes such as teacher turnover…