August 2023

A stable workforce of effective teachers is critical for successful school improvement. In Michigan, teacher retention is a hallmark of the Partnership Model’s Theory of Change, a central focus for school and district leaders undertaking turnaround, and a persistent challenge for these same leaders.

This report examines teacher mobility in the first two cohorts of Partnership schools and districts from a pre-pandemic period through fall 2022, including two pre-pandemic intervention years (two for Cohort 1 and one for Cohort 2) and three years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While trends over the full time period are presented, this report largely focus here on teacher mobility following the 2021-22 school year. Earlier findings of teacher turnover can be found in the Partnership Year 2, 3, and 4 reports.

Key findings include:

1. After dipping to the lowest levels in years, turnover increased more sharply in Partnership and other low-performing schools than in the rest of the state
2. Though turnover increased from 2020-21 to 2021-22, Partnership school teachers were less likely than comparison teachers to leave their schools coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Effective school leaders may have helped to retain more teachers in Cohort 1 Schools; sense of inadequate pay and demanding workload may have induced more turnover in Cohort 2
4. Teacher exits from the Michigan public school system increased sharply in Partnership schools—escalating to pre-Partnership levels in Cohort 2