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Last week The New Teacher Project (TNTP) released a report entitled The Irreplaceables-Understanding the Real Retention Crisis in America’s Urban Schools which continues the theme espoused in their previous report The Widget Effect, that public school districts treat all teachers the same and hold them to low expectations, particularly in urban districts, with disastrous results for students.  To be clear, neither I nor any of my colleagues in the Learning First Alliance (LFA) believe that low expectations for teacher performance should be tolerated nor do we believe that current practices and policies should be perpetuated if they contribute to supporting mediocrity in the classroom.  However, we do believe that most teachers who are appropriately supported by strong instructional leadership and collaborative school culture can improve their practice in a way that benefits the students they serve. 

Without digging into the data used to identify those teachers labeled “irreplaceable” and those labeled “struggling” in the report or the variables that exist within the districts and schools surveyed, I find the remedies to retaining the “irreplaceables” less than new or eye-opening.  The report’s findings essentially said that teachers whose students achieved well (i.e. irreplaceables) in well managed schools stayed in their jobs longer….big surprise.  The key supports provided by the building leadership that resulted in retaining these teachers include the following:

• Provided teacher with regular, positive feedback (told them they were doing a good job)
• Helped teacher identify areas of development (where they could work to be even better)
• Gave teacher ongoing, critical feedback about performance informally
• Recognized teacher accomplishments publicly
• Informed teacher that he/she was high-performing (praised regularly)
• Identified opportunities or paths for teacher leader roles (career advancement advice)
• Put teacher in charge of something important
• Provided teacher with access to additional resources for the classroom

These “low cost retention strategies” are what’s generally called in the work world "good management."  And, in my experience, good management pays off in all fields of work — nonprofits, commercial ventures, community organizations, and yes, schools and districts.  In the 21^st century, human capital is the most important resource in all our endeavors, both public service and private business, making good management essential.

So, perhaps instead of focusing on how badly schools are managed (some are; many aren’t) and the data around failure in public schooling, we could work to share management practices that work in any arena in a mutually respectful approach that benefits all of us.  In a culture that values important public enterprises, especially education, we should concentrate together on strengthening the work force through collaborative problem solving that involves those who are seasoned professionals as well as the energetic new blood entering our schools and classrooms.

Coalitions like LFA are dedicated to ensuring that the system of public education honors all contributors, recognizes areas for improvement, and supports continued learning across disciplines and work environments.  Good management as outlined in TNTP’s report is a given and should be widely studied and practiced.  The data and infographics that portray teachers as one dimensional included in this highly produced report are not particularly helpful in working towards the solution we all want — first class schools with talented teachers for all our students.

Image from Microsoft Office