ABSTRACT
While there is a lack of consensus concerning the presence of a national K–12 teacher shortage, much less controversial is the fact that teacher staffing challenges remain persistent for certain subject areas (e.g., math, science, and special education) and school types (e.g., urban, rural, high-poverty, majority non-White, and low-achieving schools). The problems have been exacerbated by a trend of declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs as well as the COVID pandemic and its associated “Great Resignation,” which has spurred increased teacher turnover since the onset of the pandemic. Furthermore, hiring diverse candidates to match the ever-growing diversity of students has been a perennial challenge. With escalating teacher turnover and declining interest in the teaching profession, this chapter addresses the question: How can school leaders create attractive workplace conditions to better recruit and retain teachers? The chapter also addresses differentiated geographic challenges, workplace inclusion, and strategic talent management.
