Attracting And Retaining Teachers In Rural Areas

The American Association of School Administrators (1999) has observed that the main problem of rural school districts is attracting and keeping quality teachers. The rural teacher shortage affects all subject areas but particularly math, science, and special education. This Digest examines the problem from a legislative and policy perspective. It suggests strategies to address the problem, noting sample programs from several states.

Legislative and Policy Background
The rural teacher recruitment and retention problem varies across the United States. Some states have teacher surpluses; others have shortages. According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, an adequate number of teachers is trained each year (Bradley, 1998). The problem is with distribution. State legislatures deal with teacher recruitment and retention in various ways, depending on their circumstances (see "What Some States are Doing" below) (Education Commission of the States, 1999).
In an attempt to alleviate the problem, President Clinton signed the Higher Education Amendments law in October 1998. Title II of this bill creates teacher recruitment grants to improve teacher quality and reduce shortages of qualified teachers in high-need districts (U.S. Department of Education, 1999).

Why Teachers Stay or Go
The principal reason teachers leave rural areas is isolation--social, cultural, and professional. Recent research on rural teacher recruitment and retention appears thin, and much of it has been conducted outside the United States. For example, a survey of teacher mobility (94 past and current teachers in a rural British Columbia school district) found that teachers leave communities because of geographic isolation, weather, distance from larger communities and family, and inadequate shopping (Murphy & Angelski, 1996/1997).
The literature suggests rural administrators have difficulty finding qualified teachers who fit in with the school and community and who will stay in the job. The "ideal" rural teacher is certified to teach more than one subject or grade level, can teach students with a wide range of abilities in the same classroom, is prepared to supervise extracurricular activities, and can adjust to the community (Lemke, 1994; Stone, 1990). In the British Columbia study, teachers stayed because of their principal, spouse employment in the community, and satisfaction with the rural lifestyle (Murphy & Angelski, 1996/1997).

Recruiting Rural Teachers
To recruit rural teachers, administrators must target candidates with rural backgrounds or with personal characteristics or educational experiences that predispose them to live in rural areas. The emphasis on background and experience is crucial for racially or culturally distinct communities. Selling points in recruitment efforts are the benefits of teaching in rural schools, such as few discipline problems, less red tape, more personal contact, greater chance for leadership, small class size, individualized instruction, greater student and parent participation, and greater teacher impact on decision making (Boylan & Bandy, 1994; Lemke, 1994; Stone, 1990).

Most rural teachers were raised close to where they now teach. Various "grow-your-own" strategies offer incentives to local residents with potential to become teachers, such as assisting them in obtaining the needed education and training. For example, Future Teachers of America (FTA) clubs encourage students to consider returning to their home communities once they have received their teaching credentials (Lemke, 1994).

Retaining Rural Teachers
Colleges must take more of a role in recruiting students who demonstrate the characteristics of successful rural teachers. The U.S. Department of Education (1998) suggests colleges should recruit aggressively in middle and high schools, exposing students to peer tutoring, camp counseling, role modeling, and classes in education theory. Although few universities in the United States have preservice programs for rural teachers, successful programs in Australia and Canada offer a rural focus in course work and provide ample opportunity for rural experiences (Stone, 1990; Boylan & Bandy, 1994).

The degree to which a rural teacher becomes involved in community educational and cultural programs influences his or her decision to remain; therefore, retention requires a coordinated school-community effort. A school-community orientation can help new rural teachers overcome feelings of isolation, acquire a sense of community security, and develop professional competence. Principals should select a new teacher's initial assignments carefully, set clear goals, welcome feedback, establish an encouraging and nonthreatening environment, and provide opportunities to interact with experienced colleagues and parents.

Collegial mentoring--that is not a part of teacher evaluation--can be crucial. The school also can ease the way for new teachers by streamlining paperwork, providing a well-planned in-service program, and arranging release time for visiting other teachers' classrooms. The community should recognize new teachers' accomplishments and invite them to participate in various activities. Universities also can play an important role by offering cost-effective distance-learning courses to keep rural teachers up-to-date. (Boylan & Bandy, 1994; Lemke, 1994; Stone, 1990).

What Some States Are Doing
State programs for recruiting and retaining teachers vary considerably. Salary differentials often pit one state against another. In addition, there are rural-urban pay disparities within states (Iowa Governor, 1997). Two states, Kentucky and Connecticut, have equalized teacher salaries statewide to diminish regional inequalities (Bradley, 1998).

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