How to Recruit and Retain Teachers in Hard-to-Staff Areas

Attracting and retaining qualified teachers in some subjects, schools and geographical areas is a common challenge facing school staffing policies in many developed countries. Chapter 13 summarises a systematic review of international research looking for robust evidence of what works in attracting and retaining teachers in these challenging schools. The review found little evidence on most approaches. The one approach with the most promising evidence is the use of monetary inducements for attracting and retaining teachers in general, and especially in schools and areas which are facing teacher shortages. These incentives are only effective if they come with a tie-in where teachers are committed to move or stay in those schools/areas for a period or continue to teach the shortage subjects. Funding is contingent on teachers agreeing to do so. There is no evidence as yet whether other measures like mentoring and induction, professional development and alternative routes to teaching have been effective. This is largely because research in this area is not robust enough to draw causal conclusions. Robust research capable of addressing causal questions is therefore urgently required to determine the impact of these other approaches.