Teacher Retention and Recruitment Working Group delivers TRR Action Plan, TRR Survey results

Tuesday the Governor’s Teacher Retention and Recruitment Working Group released a report and results from teacher surveys to identify the root causes of teacher retention and recruitment challenges in Alaska. In conjunction with the survey results, the working group also released a framework for action called the TRR Action Plan.

The TRR Action Plan provides the information necessary to address the root causes of Alaska’s educator recruitment and retention challenges.  The recommendations and framework propose six essential areas for practical, professional, and policy recommendations.  

The TRR working group also utilized existing research along with previously published reports on the topic specific to Alaska. The TRR Survey gathered data from over 4,000 educators including preferred choice rankings, interviews, and written comments.

“As a father, teacher, principal, and superintendent throughout Alaska, my priority has always been to give our children the best education possible,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. “This report and plan is a step in the right direction to make sure children have the best educators in their classrooms to help them be successful in reaching their future goals and being productive members of society.”

“I would like to thank the members of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention working group for the many hours they spent together over the past year,” said Commissioner Michael Johnson. “Their work provides us with a framework for collaboratively addressing the myriad of issues that result in high teacher and principal turnover in our schools. I look forward to working with educators, policy-makers, and fellow Alaskans to attract and keep great educators for our students.”

Gov. Mike Dunleavy formed the Teacher Retention and Recruitment Working Group in May of 2020. The purpose of this working group was to review the root causes of Alaska’s teacher retention and recruitment issues and propose solutions to better attract and retain great teachers.

The working group is made up of members, advisors, and legislative observers representing Alaska regionally; rural, urban schools; teacher, administrator, student, school board roles; early career to long-term experience; Pre-K, K-12, higher education; and practitioners, support organizations, policy makers.

Invitations for the Teacher Retention and Recruitment Survey were sent with a personal link to 15,678 educators who held active Alaska certificated teacher licenses, current as of October 2020. The survey remained open from October 2020 through January 2021. Of those invited, 4,223 participants completed at least part of the survey and 3,604 completed it fully. This sample size provides an overall response rate of 27%. Of those participants who identified themselves as currently working in one of Alaska’s 54 school districts, the response rate reached a noteworthy level of 40% (3,098 district participants out of 7,741 possible).

The working group met 10 times from May 2020 through March 2021.

The full TRR Action Plan, TRR Survey Results, and all appendices referenced are available at education.alaska.gov/trr.