CDE'S SCHOOLS OF CHOICE 2022 EQUITY CONVENING

Retaining Staff: Using People-Centric Strategies to Build a Culture of Equity and Inclusion

Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools in collaboration with the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers

This site was created to collect and organize the materials and resources shared and generated at the 1-day in person convening that brought together charter school leaders and authorizers to explore how some Colorado charter schools are working to retain their diverse teacher workforce. Teacher attrition has traditionally been higher in charter schools than in non-charter schools, and turnover has been exacerbated by the pandemic. We have heard voices from the field proclaim that teaching is harder than ever. There are several reasons why retaining teachers may be more difficult in charter schools including lower salaries, fewer resources, more duties spread across fewer staff, and many charter teachers coming to the profession through non-traditional routes.

The 2022 Equity Convening will spotlight approaches schools are taking to increase teacher retention including:

• Promoting a culture of inclusion and equity

• Teacher wellness initiatives

• Effective onboarding

• Retention of teachers of color

Similar to non-charter schools, charter school attrition for Black, Indigenous, LatinX, and Asian teachers is disproportionate. This is critical because a plethora of research indicates the positive impact Black, Indigenous, LatinX, and Asian teachers and leaders have on students’ identity, sense of self-efficacy, and academic outcomes. Research indicates these teachers often experience an antagonistic work culture that leaves them feeling unwelcome and/or invisible. Furthermore, they sometimes feel undervalued because they lack agency, recognition, and opportunities for leadership. They navigate unfavorable working conditions, which lack the support needed for them to grow as professionals. Increasing staff diversity is essential and it is not enough. Charter schools must focus on creating inclusive and equitable environments that retain staff in general but also promote the retention of Black, Indigenous, LatinX, and Asian teachers. Ultimately, in order to improve retention, charter schools are compelled to hire diverse staff and create inclusive cultures in which all teachers feel connected to the work, believe they can be successful doing the work and are equitably rewarded and promoted for their work.

Thank You to Our Presenters & Panelists