Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we conduct a systematic review of the literature completed over the past 4 decades pertaining to teacher recruitment, retention, and resultant teacher shortages. We focus on research that examines rural settings, per the National Rural Education Association’s identification of the recruitment and retention of teachers in rural schools as a primary research priority. Evidence distilled in this systematic review shows that though this area of scholarship has expanded in recent years, there remains a paucity of policy and program evaluations focused on rural settings, a stark contrast to the depth of urban-focused and location-agnostic scholarship. While research on other geographic settings may provide some level of relevance for rural settings, evidence pertaining to rural schools, particularly that focused on heterogeneous rural contexts, likely would inform rural policy and practice more effectively. We summarize the existing body of research and conclude by considering possibilities for future avenues of actionable scholarship.