The Truth About Hiring & Keeping Great Teachers

Hey! 👋🏼

You and I both know that hiring and keeping great teachers isn’t getting any easier.

Why This Work Matters

It’s not just about filling vacancies anymore. It’s about fighting an uphill battle against burnout, low morale, and a workforce that’s leaving the profession faster than we can replace them. And let’s be honest - our newest teachers are the most vulnerable.

Here’s what we’re up against:

📉 Nearly 50% of new teachers leave within their first five years

📉 Enrollment in teacher prep programs has dropped over 30% in the last decade

📉 Schools are spending thousands per hire - only to watch them walk out the door a year later

📉 First-year teachers report higher stress levels than ever before, leading to early burnout and lower job satisfaction

That’s the reality. But here’s the other truth: The schools that are thriving aren’t just lucky. They’re making strategic leadership moves that change the game.

5 Leadership Moves to Hire (and Keep) the Right Teachers

1️⃣ Recruit with purpose, not panic - If you’re waiting until the spring hiring season, you’re already behind. Build a bench year-round. Tap into paraprofessionals, career changers, and student teachers before they get scooped up elsewhere. And don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth - great teachers know other great teachers.

2️⃣ Make the interview process better - If your questions sound like they came from a 1997 HR manual, it’s time to upgrade. Ask real, scenario-based questions that reveal how a teacher thinks on their feet. Dig into how they build relationships, manage classrooms, and handle conflict.

Need help with this? I’ve got a free AI-powered guide to generate interview questions that actually work (more on that below).

3️⃣ Onboard like their success depends on it (because it does) - Stop assuming new teachers will just “figure it out.” The first 90 days determine whether they stay or start looking elsewhere. Set up a structured onboarding, assign a strong mentor, and pay them, if needed, for additional planning time - because nothing pushes a teacher out faster than drowning in work without support.

4️⃣ Be a culture work staying for - If teachers feel replaceable, they’ll act like they are. A supporting culture beats a bigger paycheck - every time. Recognize good work loudly and often. Make collaboration the norm. Give teachers a voice in decision-making and actually follow through on feedback. If your school feels like a place where teachers thrive, retention takes care of itself.

5️⃣ Use AI to work smarter, not harder - AI isn’t taking your job, but it can make hiring easier. I’ve put together a free guide to show you how to use generative AI to generate interview questions and job postings in seconds - so you can spend less time writing and more time hiring the right people.

A Final Thought

The best time to rethink your hiring and retention strategy? Yesterday. The next best time? Right now.

The schools that get this right aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones with leaders who take action. So - what’s one move you’re putting into play this week? Reply and let me know - I read every response.

You’ve got this.

Mike 🍏

On A Recent Episode of The Principal School Podcast…

What to build on today’s content? You can check out the Helping Teachers Thrive episode of the Principal School Podcast, where I discuss how leaders can empower their teachers to excel even further! Key topics include:

✅ Leadership that Listens: Acting on teacher feedback to build trust
✅ Meaningful Collaboration: Making team time productive and innovative
✅ Resource Alignment: Providing tools and training that teachers truly need
✅ Building a Thriving Culture: Creating an environment where positivity and trust lead

It’s packed with actional leadership moves and delivers small changes that can lead to significant impacts in your school.