Meet the Teachers
by Camille Hedrick, Potomac Falls High School
Original text © 2004 Camille Hedrick
Teacher Retention
Teacher attrition is considered by many to be the one area where the biggest impact could be made on the teacher shortage (Hardy, 1999; Lalley, 2001; McCrieght, 2000; Merrow, 2002). Over thirty percent of new hires leave teaching within the first five years (Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, 2001; Darling-Hammond, 2001, Duarte, 2000, Hope, 1999; Kronholz, 1997, National Education Association, 2002; Viadero, 2002). There is compelling evidence that the teacher shortage will not be solved until we deal with the problem of teacher attrition (Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, 2001; Hardy, 1999; Ingersoll, 2001; Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium,1999; National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 2003; Viadero, 2002).
It is impossible to truly calculate the cost of failing to retain teachers, especially in the areas of financial expenditures, human resources, and student achievement. Losing teachers entails an expensive and unnecessary drain on already stretched resources. The Charlotte Advocates for Education (February, 2004) estimates that each new teacher turnover costs Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools $11,500. Consider the extensive outlay required for enculturation alone, which includes orientation, mentoring, and staff development.
The resources required for orientation are enormous, especially in large school divisions. Resources for division-level new teacher orientation include both money and time. Orientation of new teachers takes approximately one week of division time and attention, not including planning and set-up time. A higher level, higher salaried administrator supervises the process closely and is present at many of the week’s activities. Building-level new teacher orientation also takes approximately one week, not including planning and set-up time, and is managed by either the principal or an assistant principal, employees also receiving higher-than-average salaries. New teachers go on salary when they report for division-level orientation, so that they are paid two weeks’ salary to be oriented to the division and school. Loudoun County, Virginia, the fastest growing county in the nation, hired more than 500 new teachers in the 2003-2004 school year, and Spotsylvania County, Virginia hired more than 200 new teachers in the 2003-2004 school year. All of these teachers reported for work on salary a week to two weeks early for division orientation.
Resources required for mentoring are invidiously draining. Mentoring is usually offered to all entering teachers to some degree, whether they are experienced or inexperienced. Mentoring requires close attention from veterans, an essential school resource. Principals use their veterans as team leaders, steering committee members, and curriculum specialists. A veteran who mentors a new teacher is less available for other use. In addition, in Virginia mentors of teachers with zero experience receive a stipend.
Staff development is yet another costly expenditure. Schools and school divisions follow improvement plans that require school-wide and division-wide training in specific instructional strategies and specific curriculum maps. They devote entire days of staff time to this training and pay experts to provide it. Expenditures for staff development specific to a school or division are wasted on teachers who leave, plus there is the additional cost of providing remedial training to their replacements.
It is impossible to assess the damage of inexperienced teachers and an inconsistently implemented instructional goal to student achievement. I remember how much I learned about teaching in those first few years. I also know from my years as a high school instructional coordinator that experienced teachers who understand and follow the school’s instructional plan have students who achieve more. What dollar amount do we give to the cost of students not learning?
