To say the teaching profession is at a crossroads is an understatement. The growing instability of the educator workforce erodes the everyday health of schools and puts the future of public education at risk.
This moment demands more than stopgaps. The challenges are well known: skyrocketing turnover, declining enrollment in teacher certification programs, and an over-reliance on brand new teachers, many of whom haven’t had the benefit of a comprehensive preparation experience. Churn is the constant, not the exception. But the future is not written. The question is: Will we continue to try to patch holes with shoddy fixes, or will we make proactive, inspired, research-informed commitments to change?
Because change is not optional at this point. We have to do what it takes to stabilize, professionalize, and modernize the teacher workforce — now. We need real solutions that recognize teaching as a career worthy of investment, growth, and respect.
What does true stability look like in practice?
What must schools commit to right now and future forward to create the conditions where teachers can move from endurance to excellence?
How do we reshape the environments where teachers work to support their growth?
How can we prioritize the right supports to accelerate the development of teaching knowledge and skills and paths to teacher leadership? Who needs to be at the table who hasn’t been to design coherent teacher development strategies for a modern workforce? How do we move from isolation and on-your-own to collective and collaborative experiences?
What new models must we create and refine?
How do we move beyond traditional, fragmented support structures? How can we build models where every teacher is mentoring and being mentored, coaching and being coached, as an everyday function of their work?
This is the time to rebuild the profession with intention and innovation. To invest in teacher development models that honor educators as experts. To design schools where stability, growth, and collaboration are not aspirations but the norm.
Anything less is not just a missed opportunity — it is a failure to meet the moment, and our students deserve better.
The impact of educator attrition on teaching quality and student success is well-documented. The challenge is supporting schools to break the talent drain and invest in teacher development with proven retention strategies and professional learning that results in a stable and sustainable high-quality workforce.
Replacing teachers wastes talent and resources
For decades, we’ve been watching almost half of new teachers leave in the first five years on the job. Today, nearly 13% of teaching positions are unfilled or filled by teachers not certified in their teaching assignment.1 In many districts, over half of new hires come through emergency or alternative certification pathways that may not offer adequate support, resulting in high attrition rates.2 Larger U.S. school districts spend nearly $25,000 to replace each departing teacher.3
High turnover fuels a cycle of disruptive instability
Frequent staff changes undermine collaboration, weaken school culture, and hinder effective teaching practice.4 This constant churn prevents the establishment of strong, cohesive teams and undermines the overall effectiveness of the teaching workforce.
Churn weakens leadership pipelines
Research shows that schools with high teacher retention are more likely to develop strong internal leadership, promote from within, and create a more stable, engaged environment.5 Experienced teachers are future instructional leaders, mentors, and coaches. When they leave, schools lose institutional knowledge and instructional leadership capacity.
Burnout and stress create unsustainable work conditions
Compared with similar working adults, about twice as many teachers report experiencing frequent job-related pressure, and roughly three times as many teachers report difficulty coping with job-related stress.6 Unsustainable workloads and emotional exhaustion drive disengagement and weaken school climates.
Career ceilings prompt teachers to seek alternatives
Stagnant career pathways and a lack of professional growth opportunities contribute to teacher turnover. Most Gen Z professionals (65%) consider career advancement and continuous learning the most important factors in their jobs.7 When teachers can’t envision future prospects, they leave.
Working in isolation versus in collaboration and community
The National Education Association found that “feeling alone” seriously lowers teacher morale and increases the likelihood of early departure from the profession.8 Without strong workplace collaboration, teachers miss crucial opportunities for professional growth, emotional support, and improving classroom practice.
Poor professional learning hinders growth and effectiveness
Over 33% of teachers cite inadequate professional learning as a major reason for leaving the profession.9 Low-dose, one-size-fits-all professional learning fails to meet teachers’ unique needs and limits student achievement.10
Public perception of teaching is in decline
Most teachers today wouldn’t recommend the profession to their children. Polling shows the percentage of Americans viewing teaching as a top career choice has dropped by over 22% since 2008.11 Consequently, enrollment in teacher preparation programs is in decline, exacerbating teacher shortages.
Mobilizing resources, applying research-backed solutions, and creating conditions where teachers don’t just remain — they excel. When we invest in teachers’ growth and well-being, we unlock students’ full potential.
We also know good things can happen when educators stay. Relationships deepen, momentum builds, and real change takes root. When teachers remain, entire school communities unlock their fullest potential.
Teachers with 5 or more years of experience are 60% more effective in improving student performance compared to their novice counterparts.12
Each year of teacher retention contributes to a 1% increase in future student earnings, with long-term positive effects on economic growth for the community.13
Teachers who stay in the profession report a 30% higher sense of community within their school, which helps build a supportive, positive environment for both staff and students.14
Communities with high teacher retention rates see economic growth of 4-5% over time due to the positive impact on student achievement and workforce development.15
Investing in teacher retention can lead to a $4 return for every $1 spent, with economic returns from better student performance and higher future workforce productivity.16
- Tan, T.S., Arellano, I., & Patrick, S. K. (2024, August). State teacher shortages 2024 update: Teaching positions left vacant or filled by teachers without full certification. Learning Policy Institute.
- Goldhaber, D., Grout, C., & Huntington-Klein, D. (2016). Teacher preparation programs and teacher labor markets. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30(2), 129-148.
- Tan, T. S., & Patrick, S. K. (2024). 2024 update: What’s the cost of teacher turnover? Learning Policy Institute.
- Ronfeldt, M., Loeb, S., & Wyckoff, J. (2013). How teacher turnover harms student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 50(1), 4-36.
- Grissom, J. A., Kalogrides, D., & Loeb, S. (2021). Using teacher turnover data to assess leadership stability and its impacts on student outcomes. Journal of Educational Administration, 59(4), 500-524.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2019). Occupational stress and job satisfaction among teachers. U.S. Department of
Labor. - Deloitte. (2020). The future of work: Gen Z’s perspectives on work, life, and leadership. Deloitte Insights.
- National Education Association. (2019). Teacher burnout and the importance of collaboration. NEA Research.
- Ingersoll, R. M. (2012). Beginning teacher induction: What the data tell us. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(8), 47-51.
- Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2009). Effective teacher professional development. Stanford
Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. - Gallup. (2020). State of the American teacher: Public perceptions of the teaching profession. Gallup, Inc.
- Carver-Thomas, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher turnover: Why it matters and what we can do about it.
Learning Policy Institute. - Booz & Company. (2011). The cost of teacher turnover in U.S. public schools. Economic Studies
- Bastian, K. C., & Henry, G. T. (2020). The economic cost of teacher turnover: Evidence from a large urban district.
Journal of Education Finance, 45(4), 453-475. - Hanushek, E. A. (2011). The economic value of higher teacher quality. Economics of Education Review, 30(3),
449-465. - Gordon, R. (2018). Teacher turnover and student achievement: An analysis of the effects of teacher
turnover on student achievement in Texas. Educational Policy, 42(5), 745-776.
We see a new sense of hope and excitement around our work and empowerment at every level. The best way to support teachers is to have credible peers supporting them.
