Districts around the country are grappling with teacher shortages. Principal leadership plays a significant role in teacher retention. Research identifies at least two major components of school leadership that contribute to teachers’ decisions about whether (and where) to stay in the profession. These include administrator support and leadership style. School leaders who support teachers with instructional resources, teaching materials, professional learning opportunities, necessary communication channels and sensible budgets to address the learning needs of all of their students have been associated with lower teacher attrition rates. 

 A principal’s leadership style is also associated with teachers’ decisions to remain at the school or in the profession. Teachers point to the importance of school culture, collegial relationships, time for collaboration, and decision-making input. Principals who have been associated with low teacher attrition rates generally describe their leadership responsibilities as facilitators, collaborators, team leaders, or leaders of leaders.  

Recruiting and retaining excellent teachers and principals is critically important for the success of future generations. Decades of research point to the critical role that high-quality school leaders play in building a strong and stable teacher workforce. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allows local and state policymakers to leverage federal funding to strengthen principal preparation and development, an investment that can reap significant dividends, in the form of increased teacher retention and improved academic opportunities that come with a strong instructional leader. The Viriginia Department of Education offers many tools and resources to support school divisions with retention, recruitment, and teacher development on the website’s Career Resources and Incentives page. 

Learning Policy Institute. (2017). The Role of Principals in Addressing Teacher Shortages (research brief). Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. 

Thank you, 

Public schools in Virginia are considered among the best schools in the country; however, like all states, Virginia continues to face challenges related to teacher shortages. Nationally, teacher shortages are impacting teaching and learning in every state. While recruitment of new teachers is a critical issue, so is the retention of current teachers. There are many policies and practices that states, districts, and schools can implement or improve to alleviate the negative impact on teaching and learning that a shortage of teachers can have. There is also much that building leadership can do to improve the recruitment and retention of instructional staff. In fact, the role of the principal is essential in this process. This brief OSQ’s research consultant group, reviews available literature on teacher recruitment and retention and provides researched-based best practices and strategies for building and division leaders consideration.  

Leaders across the Commonwealth work diligently to promote quality in their schools.  Please take some time to recognize those leaders. The OSQ Team is happy to announce the name of school leaders who were recognized for their work on Feedback on Instruction.