Boost Teacher Retention: Actionable Strategies to Improve Working Conditions in 2024-25
Kate Chizek, Director of Marketing, Upbeat
Teacher retention is a growing issue for districts nationwide, especially in a post-pandemic world where staffing shortages persist. Upbeat’s newest research, The Importance of Teacher Working Conditions for Teacher Retention in the Post-COVID Era by Dr. Havala Hanson and Dr. Matthew A. Kraft, shows that improving key working conditions—such as teachers’ sense of belonging and wellbeing, self-efficacy, and satisfaction & purpose—can significantly boost retention.
The research, based on responses from over 50,000 teachers, shows a clear connection between teachers’ perceptions of their working conditions and their likelihood to remain in their roles. For every 10-percentage-point increase in positive perceptions of a school’s working conditions, there is a corresponding 4.6-percentage-point increase in retention. This highlights the vital role of school climate improvements in preventing teacher turnover and ensuring a stable, supportive environment.
Upbeat’s Leadership Coaches, with a focus on improvement science, analyze district and school engagement data to help leaders identify actionable strategies that strengthen key areas. By improving working conditions, schools can drive positive changes in teacher retention.
Belonging and Wellbeing: Key Drivers of Retention
One of the most important factors identified in the report is the sense of belonging and wellbeing among teachers. Upbeat’s survey items measuring these areas include questions such as: “I feel like I belong at my school” and “My school supports teachers’ mental wellbeing.” Schools where teachers reported higher agreement with these items saw retention rates of 81%, compared to just 71% in schools where these feelings were lacking.
This sense of belonging is particularly vital for early-career teachers. The research found that a 10-percentage-point increase in positive perceptions of belonging and wellbeing is associated with a 6.6-percentage-point increase in retention among teachers with fewer than five years of experience. For veteran teachers, the increase was 4.3 percentage points.
Self-Efficacy and Professional Growth
Teachers’ sense of self-efficacy plays a vital role in retention. The report finds that a 10-percentage-point increase in self-efficacy among teachers is linked to a 6.4 percentage-point rise in retention for early-career teachers and a 4.2 percentage-point increase for veteran teachers.
Professional development and manageable workloads are key contributors to self-efficacy, helping create environments where teachers can grow and succeed. Schools with high teacher self-efficacy see greater feelings of appreciation, effective professional development, safer environments, and more manageable workloads, all of which significantly boost retention.
Satisfaction & Purpose
Many teachers enter the profession as a calling, but poor working conditions often drive them to leave. Improving satisfaction and purpose can significantly boost retention. In schools with the highest satisfaction levels, 81% of teachers stayed, compared to 71% in schools with the lowest levels.
Survey results show that satisfaction and purpose are closely linked to other working conditions like self-efficacy, belonging, and school safety. Teachers are more likely to stay when they feel successful, connected, and supported in a safe, effective learning environment.
Conclusion
As school districts continue to navigate the challenges of a post-pandemic world, improving working conditions for teachers is more important than ever. The findings from Upbeat’s latest research provide a clear roadmap: prioritize teacher wellbeing, foster a sense of belonging, and support professional growth to keep experienced educators in classrooms, benefitting both teachers and students alike.
Interested in reading more about the research? You can download the report here or get a copy from the Upbeat booth during the AASB Annual Conference in November.
Citation: Hanson, H. & Kraft, M. (2024). The importance of teacher working conditions for teacher retention in the post-COVID era. New York, NY: Teach Upbeat.
The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Alaska School Boards. AASB welcomes diverse perspectives and civil discourse. To submit a Guest Column for consideration, see our Guest Column Guidelines and email your 400-1000 word submission HERE.