In 2002, new teacher retention was a major problem in the Philadelphia school district: less than half of new teachers were staying in the district after three years on the job. Useem and Neild detail strategies the district took between 2002 and 2004 to both attract well-prepared teachers likely to stay and support new teachers. A key recruitment strategy was creating six alternative certification programs to place young teachers who were still pursuing their certification into Philadelphia classrooms in appropriate ways. Providing each new teacher in the district a ‘new teacher coach’ was a very effective retention strategy. These carefully selected new teacher coaches were relieved of their own classroom duties and made responsible for mentoring and supporting new teachers in any way needed. Teacher interviews suggest that new teacher coaches made a difference in retention; 85 percent of first-year teachers in Philadelphia returned to the district for their second teaching year, up from 77 percent before the district took these measures.
Related Publications

Publication
The Need for More Teachers of Color
Leana Cabral, Mary Eddins, David Lapp, Saxon Nelson

Publication
FAQ: Superintendents in Pennsylvania School Districts
Mary Eddins, Leana Cabral, David Lapp, Molly Pileggi, Saxon Nelson, Ammani Ahmad-Khan
Publication
Access to Experienced Teachers in Allegheny County
Mary Eddins

Publication
Teacher Mobility in Allegheny County, 2014-15 through 2019-20
Mary Eddins, Molly Pileggi

Publication
Final Report: Evaluation of the Aspiring to Educate Philadelphia Pilot

Publication
Where Do We Go Next? Youth Insights on the High School Experience During a Year of Historic Upheaval
Molly Pileggi, Kri Burkander, Justis Freeman, Sean K. Flanagan, Max Margolius, Liz Glaser, Monika Kincheloe

Publication
Students Experiencing Homelessness in Allegheny County
Anna Shaw-Amoah

Publication
Special Education Funding in Pennsylvania Charter Schools
David Lapp
Publication
FAQ: Allegheny County Teachers of Color
Mary Eddins

Publication
Students Experiencing Homelessness in Pennsylvania: New Evidence of Under-Identification and Inequity
Anna Shaw-Amoah, David Lapp

Publication
School Police Presence in Allegheny County
Mary Eddins, David Lapp

Publication
Teacher Diversity in Pennsylvania from 2013-14 to 2019-20
Anna Shaw-Amoah, David Lapp, Dae Y. Kim