In the ongoing conversation about education, it’s not just about recruiting teachers, it’s about retaining them to have sustained careers. Across the nation, school districts are grappling with how to increase teacher retention and prevent burnout.

Defining Teacher Retention vs Teacher Attrition

Teacher retention is a school, district, or program’s ability to keep its teachers in the profession, and ideally in the same schools, year after year. High retention rates are often a strong indicator of a healthy, supportive teaching environment. On the flip side, high attrition rates (the percentage of teachers leaving the profession) can signal burnout, lack of support, or systemic issues.

Philly is Proving it’s Possible

According to the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition, about 78% of new teachers (those with 0–2 years of experience) returned to their roles after the 2022–23 school year. That means 22% of teachers left the profession after just one or two years in the classroom

However, when we look at teachers in programs with more targeted support, the story changes. 93% of first-year teachers in City Teaching Alliance’s program returned for their second year of teaching in Philly in the 2024–25 school year. That’s a teacher attrition rate of just 7%, dramatically lower than the citywide average.

How Our Philly Team Achieved This

This measurable increase in teacher retention is the result of strong partnerships, purposeful preparation, and consistent, on-the-ground support. Our Philly team placed 100% of its Fellows at nearly 40 schools across our school partners, including The School District of Philadelphia, Belmont Charter Network, Mastery Schools, Young Scholars Charter School, Wissahickon Charter School.

In addition to placement, our Philly team provides extensive support to Fellows through quarterly professional development sessions, regular check-ins, alumni mentorship, wellness resources, school visits, instructional coaching and more.

How to Increase Teacher Retention: The City Teaching Alliance Way

One of the most common reasons teachers are quitting is the lack of support. We know that the early years of teaching can be overwhelming without the right systems in place. That’s why on-the-ground support for our four regions is integrated within our signature 5C model and serves as a promising model for other urban districts.

Ready to bring parts of our model to your school district? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to start the conversation!