Reading #1
Keeping Quality Teachers
The Art of Retaining General and Special Education Teachers Building a Framework:
The Role of the Administrator in Teacher Retention Working conditions cannot improve without a commitment from district and building level leadership. Superintendents, principals and special education administrators are key personnel in retaining teachers. In addition, the role of administration in retention and support for special educators is particularly crucial given a history of exclusion and isolation from general education that many special educators have experienced. Section One in this document summarizes the critical importance of administration in teacher retention.School leaders at all levels of education can use the resources and strategies in this document to strengthen their efforts to ensure that students learn with high quality teachers. It should be noted that the term “school leader” extends beyond the role of superintendent or principal. Often, assistant superintendents, vice principals, or others are responsible for certain areas and this needs to be acknowledged when reading the strategies that are recommended. Further, some issues discussed here are building level, while others are district level. The categories described in Section Two touch on most aspects of effective school leadership. Therefore, this section will describe administrative strategies specific to those categories. A more in-depth and complete description of those strategies can be found in Appendix 3-1. Following is a compilation of strategies and recommendations that can be useful in retaining quality staff.Because so much is being asked of those in leadership positions, it should be acknowledged that they also need support in order to do their jobs more effectively. They also need professional development designed to help them be better