While teacher retention rates are higher, long-term workforce concerns persist

Nearly 89% of Idaho teachers returned to the classroom last school year, according to the Idaho Department of Education.

That’s a slight uptick from 2022-23, reversing a multiple-year trend of post-pandemic declines in the statewide teacher retention rate.

That means just 11% of Idaho teachers retired, left the profession, or took different jobs in education — like as an administrator. And most teachers — 79% — stayed at the same school.

Still, there’s reason for concern, according to the State Board of Education’s most recent educator pipeline report.

School district leaders continue to cite staffing shortages as an obstacle. That could be compounded if the number of aging Idaho teachers continues to outpace the number of younger teachers: “A substantial portion of Idaho’s teachers are likely to retire in close succession to one another resulting in a larger teacher shortage,” the report found.

And Idaho’s relatively low teacher salaries — which lag behind those in neighboring states — hinder recruitment and retention efforts, the report found: “Teachers make 24% less than comparable college graduates and this gap can inhibit people from choosing to become a teacher and/or staying in the profession.”

Idaho’s average teacher salary in 2023-24 was $61,516 — about 8.5% less than the national average.

On top of that, the five-year retention rate among new teachers is just 63%.

“Not only does this pose a retention problem in a rapidly growing state, it also poses a problem of expertise and mentorship,” the report found. “As (more) teachers leave before they enter the middle of their career, this can create a gap of experience … It is important for those new teachers to become veteran teachers.”

Another nuance: some teaching positions are harder to fill than others, such as in math, science, special education, and career technical education.

Competitive salaries and strong teacher preparation and support would help to boost retention overall, according to the State Board.

State initiatives aim to attract teachers to the classroom and incentivize them to stay

State leaders already have several programs in the works to bolster the teacher pipeline and teacher support networks.

For early-career educators, the State Board this year launched a statewide mentorship and professional development platform to support new teachers by connecting them with mentors and resources.

“We’ve heard our teachers, especially those new to the profession, ask for support, and I’m pleased that we can offer teacher-to-teacher mentorship that can really make a difference for both teachers and students.” State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield said in an August press release.

For teachers at rural and underserved schools, a State Board incentive program provides educational grants of up to $12,000 over four years to qualifying teachers.

For those who have experience working in schools or with children and are interested in becoming teachers, there are two teacher apprenticeship programs that aim to smooth the path to certification.

And for teachers-to-be, talks are underway between the State Board and College of Education leaders about how to strengthen teacher preparation programs.

Carly Flandro reports from her hometown of Pocatello. Prior to joining EdNews, she taught English at Century High and was a reporter for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.