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Rural schools are harder to staff than urban or suburban ones (Monk, 2007; Hodges et al., 2013). However, rural school districts are more likely to struggle with teacher vacancies due to turnover and job dissatisfaction than their urban or suburban counterparts (Ingersoll & Tran, 2023). Drawing on data from three projects examining the teacher workforce in rural Maine, this poster with help conference participants better what it takes to attract, develop, and retain Maine’s teacher workforce in rural area. Select data from statewide surveys of the future teacher workforce (pre-service teachers and new inservice teachers, n=224), educational technicians (n=256), and participants in the New Teacher Academy (n=130) will be presented. Together, these data sets will highlight factors contributing to turnover and job dissatisfaction. Factors identified include a need for (1) more job flexibility, (2) increased attention to educator well-being, (3) improved communication around not on job responsibilities, but the philosophy and context of schools and in the hiring process, and (4) the need for networks of peer support within districts. Recommendations to develop a resilient rural teacher workforce will be discussed, using lessons learned from these three University of Maine System (UMS) supported projects.

Publication Date

10-28-2024

Attracting, Developing, and Retaining Teacher Workforce Talent: Insights from Three Rural Maine Projects

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