Planning for Teacher Retention Brian Stroman, Superintendent - - PDF document

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Planning for Teacher Retention

Brian Stroman, Superintendent Bloomburg ISD TREA State Membership Chair

Imagine recruiting teachers like pro athletes

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Reasons to market your district

• Other districts are doing it well.
• For the most part, you are marketing to “Millennials”.
• Steep decline in teacher enrollment in college.
• More ACP teachers than ever before.
• It is wonderful PR for your school.
• Attract teachers from other schools by word of mouth.
• Creates pride throughout the district.
• Become the best employer in your community.

Provide leadership opportunities for teachers

• Mentorship program for veteran teachers to develop leadership

qualities.

• Mentoring program for all first and second year teachers to help

ensure success in the classroom.

• Mentors’ main job is to get the new hire to a term contract and not

leave the district.

• Offer a stipend for the mentor or extra comp-time allow them to feel

appreciated for a job well done.

• Offer leadership opportunities to mentors.
• Select teachers who truly represent the culture of your district.

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Developing a retention/longevity plan

• Research what years teachers are leaving your district.
• Consider giving retention or signing stipend instead of raise.
• Offer the money at key times during year: Back to school, Christmas,

End of Year.

• Send them a nice letter from the superintendent and thank them

personally for staying in your district.

• Options to look at instead of money: Matching 403b/457 contribution,

matching HSA.

• Use retention stipend to help with teacher attendance.
• Attendance Challenge-Make it a game
• Remember you can mix and match to fit your needs.

Example of Retention Letter

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Consider a Financial Wellness Program

• A way to give every employee a raise without affecting your budget and

help teachers with student loan debt.

• Huge increase to morale helping employees get out of debt or student

loans.

• Corporate America does it all the time to help educate and retain highly

qualified staff. Why would we not?

• For the most part, teachers know very little about finances; therefore they

tend to be ill prepared for retirement.

• If you truly care about your staff, as superintendent, take the time to

explain things like TRS benefits, multipliers, running calculations, 403B/457, fees, expense ratio and other items.

• Dave Ramsey-Smart Dollar

Salary is not the only solution to the problem???

• As superintendent you have to get

creative.

• Transform yourself and your district to

a different style of leadership.

• Treat teachers like family, and involve

them in the process of transformation.

• Provide teachers with a clean and up-

to-date classroom.

• Provide teachers with a safe and

secure environment to work in.

• Develop a “Why Work for -------ISD”
• Advertise it with all jobs and get the

word out.

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Why work for Bloomburg ISD

• Incredible quality of life with family-

friendly work day

• Mentorship program for all new teachers
• Small class size 10:1 student teacher

ratio

• Yearly teacher retention stipend and

classroom supply money

• Minimum Extra Duty Requirements
• Open conference period
• Monthly Employee Appreciation

Events/Luncheon

• Fun family-friendly working environment
• Supplemental Roth IRA retirement plan

Available

• Attendance Incentives
• Shortest workday in the area
• Optional Dental, Vision, Critical Illness,

Disability, Identity Theft, Life and HSA Spending Accounts

• $10,000 life insurance policy free to all

employees

• Supportive administration and low

teacher turnover

• $5,000 stipend for math and science

teachers with 3 preps.

• Health Savings Account to help

employees save on insurance with no fees.

• Financial Planning free to all staff
• 5 days of State Leave and 5 Days of

Local Leave – Free to all employees

• Teachers do not pay for substitutes
• Catastrophic Sick Leave

Selling your best qualities

• “Quality of Life”—You must promote this over and over
• Create a Google work place.
• Look at the affordable housing options in the area.
• Increase insurance or pay in full for Active Care HD. Free Insurance
• Signing stipends for new teachers.
• Free breakfast and lunch for teachers and staff.
• Health and Wellness screening and programs free for staff.
• Create a workout facility inside your district.
• Stipends for multiple preps or for STAAR tested subjects.

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Include teacher ethics training as part of your retention package

• Use the TEA ethics video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwuulISNQUo-

• Make them sign off and document the training.
• File with each employee.
• Region 6 Edu Hero-Ethics Included
• Plan to have a great lawyer and security company at your

fingertips.

• *Please consider a TREA Diamond Sponsor for your needs.*

Contact Information