Leading Voices Podcast Series Episode 8: How States Can Attract and Sustain Teachers—A Conversation with Caitlin Beatson and Kate Wright

Transcript

Teachers are leaving the educator workforce at alarming rates, and the trend has intensified in recent years. What explains teacher attrition and how can state education leaders help districts attract and retain new teachers?

In this episode, host Marley Arechiga talks with Caitlin Beatson, Deputy Director of the Region 2 Comprehensive Center at WestEd, and Kate Wright, Director of the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, about the importance of sustaining the educator workforce and how the federally funded Comprehensive Centers partner with states to address challenges and implement evidence-based and actionable solutions.

Their conversation covers the following topics:

• The state’s role in supporting districts to recruit and sustain teachers
• The 4Cs—a construct that represents four ways that state education agencies, in partnership with WestEd Regional Comprehensive Centers, are conceptualizing how to help their school districts strengthen educator workforces
• Teacher residency programs
• Differentiated staffing in the classroom and distributed leadership

 Learn more about WestEd’s Region 2 Comprehensive Center and Region 15 Comprehensive Center.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• K–12 Teachers Are Quitting. What Would Make Them Stay? (McKinsey & Company Article)
• The State of the Teacher Workforce (Learning Policy Institute)
• How States Play a Key Role in Strengthening the Teacher Workforce
• Arizona State University’s Next Education Workforce Website
• Teacher Compensation Reform Decision Guide