Retention

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts to keep school and district staff from leaving their jobs

See also: Grade Retention, Recruitment & Retention

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Gen Z teachers like Katrina Sacurom, a 5th grade teacher in Frisco, Texas, are bringing passion and fresh ideas to the profession—but also want supports and a reasonable work-life balance. Districts leaders, experts say, need to think about how to meet those needs in order to retain them. Sacurom chats with students during recess at Shawnee Trail Elementary School on Feb. 3, 2026.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Generation Z Is Transforming Teaching. Are Districts Ready for Them?
The youngest cohort of teachers have been shaped by technological and educational disruption.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 4, 2026
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16 min read
Pedestrians cross a nearly empty street in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S., on Thursday, May 28, 2020. The annual Walmart Inc. shareholder celebration attracts a varied crowd who pour money into the hotels, bars and restaurants in and around the retailer's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. The Covid-19 pandemic forced Walmart to pivot to a virtual gathering on June 3.
Pedestrians cross a nearly empty street in downtown Bentonville, Ark., on May 28, 2020. The superintendent there has found strategies to recruit and retain educators, including child care and affordable housing for staff.
Terra Fondriest/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Recruitment & Retention District Leaders Want to Retain Talent. They Need to Look Beyond Just Compensation
There are steps K-12 leaders can take to keep teachers and principals in the leadership pipeline, administrators say.
Jennifer Vilcarino, February 11, 2026
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6 min read
An illustration of a professional female holding the lines that divide the week days of a calendar and removing the first line so that it's knocking the letters MON off the grid.
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says Do 4-Day School Weeks Attract and Retain Better Teachers? What the Largest Study Yet Says
Shortened schedules may do less than district leaders hope to improve turnover and teacher quality.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 23, 2026
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3 min read
Wed., January 21, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2026 Survey Results: How School Districts are Finding and Keeping Talent
Discover the latest K-12 hiring trends from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of job seekers and district HR professionals.
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January 21, 2026
Two teachers having conversation in office.
iStock
Recruitment & Retention Inside One State's Bold Plan to Keep Special Education Teachers
Pennsylvania's training and mentoring program works to retain teachers serving students with disabilities.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 19, 2025
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6 min read
autonomy
Recruitment & Retention 7 Things Teachers Say Would Make Them Stay on the Job
Educators pointed to everything from classroom size to the amount of autonomy they're given.
Elizabeth Heubeck, December 10, 2025
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3 min read
Fourth graders, from left, Makayla Maynard, Elliette Willey, and Arnav Singh place their lunch waste in the correct bins with the help of Kathleen Osborne, lead custodian at Green Valley Elementary School, on March 16, 2022, in Frederick, Md.
Fourth graders, from left, Makayla Maynard, Elliette Willey, and Arnav Singh place their lunch waste in the correct bins with the help of Kathleen Osborne, lead custodian at Green Valley Elementary School, on March 16, 2022, in Frederick, Md. Custodian retention is a challenge in education, learn how one Ohio district leader is tackling it.
Bill Green/The Frederick News-Post via AP
Recruitment & Retention Q&A Custodians Are the 'Glue' of School Buildings. How Districts Can Keep Them
One school leader has been focusing on custodians' retention and growth.
Jennifer Vilcarino, December 2, 2025
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7 min read
Yellow post it note paper with thank you message on blue background
iStock/Getty
School & District Management A Principal Publicly Thanked Each Staff Member. Here’s What Happened
Each November, this principal personally thanks every employee, from teachers to cafeteria workers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, November 20, 2025
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4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Opinion How to Stop Hemorrhaging Teachers From the Profession
Even as some teachers seek other careers, school leaders can stem the flow.
Larry Ferlazzo, November 14, 2025
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10 min read
Illustration of people using revolving doors.
DigitalVision Vectors
Special Education What the Research Says Schools Have the Special Educators—But Keep Losing Them to General Ed.
A study across seven states finds educators for students with disabilities need more targeted support.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 13, 2025
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3 min read
Vector illustration of a large yellow pencil overlaying a glowing earth on a dark blue background. There is a diverse group of professionals holding one another up on their shoulders to try and keep the pencil upright.
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says How U.S. Teachers' Job Satisfaction Stacks Up Against Their Global Peers'
The largest international survey of teachers provides new insights into teacher satisfaction.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 28, 2025
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4 min read
Human icon print screen on wooden cube block with space for Human Resource Management and Recruitment hiring concept.
Dilok Klaisataporn/iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Well Do You Know Today’s K-12 Hiring Landscape?
Assess your knowledge of the key factors driving K-12 hiring today.
October 15, 2025
Collaged Photo illustration of a new teacher's challenges and how to support them in this stage of their career.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Recruitment & Retention Opinion How to Make Teachers Want to Stay at Your School
An instructional coach shares five essential practices for teacher retention.
Don Bott, October 14, 2025
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4 min read
Monique Cox picks up a DoorDash order from a restaurant after finishing her shift at the Epiphany School in Boston, Mass. on Oct. 7, 2025. Cox supplements her income by working as a personal trainer and DoorDashing food after her teaching shifts.
Early education teacher Monique Cox picks up a DoorDash order from a restaurant after finishing her shift at the Epiphany School in Boston on Oct. 7, 2025. Cox supplements her income by working as a personal trainer on weekends and breaks and delivering food after her teaching day ends.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Teaching Profession 'It's Rough Out Here': Why Most Teachers Work a Second Job (and What It Means)
Those with education-related second jobs are more likely to stay than those with non-related gigs.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 9, 2025
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7 min read
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