Why do teachers stay? CECI programs show success in retention for early-career teachers

Devan Washington distinctly remembers his first day as a teacher assistant. It was the start of the school year during the COVID-19 pandemic and 13 small kindergarten faces appeared in Zoom squares on his computer.

"On that first day, my cooperating teacher's internet went out, so I had to start the whole day by myself," said Washington, a 2021 Grand Valley graduate. "I was not ready for that, but it turned out to be a great experience."

Washington, who now teaches fifth grade at Fremont International Academy in Battle Creek, may have had to fly solo that day but he has been supported in his teaching career since. As a first-year teacher, he participated in the Early Career Teacher Mentoring program (ECT) through GVSU's College of Education and Community Innovation. Washington continues to receive guidance in the Professional Learning Community (PLC), a program for second- and third-year teachers.

The two mentorship programs are among the tactics supported by the partnership among Grand Valley, Battle Creek Public Schools (BCPS) and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to positively impact education in that region. Established in 2019, the programs aim to increase teacher retention in BCPS. Nationally, nearly 40 percent of teachers leave within their first five years. 

Since the programs started, 97 BCPS teachers have participated. Sarah Cox, visiting faculty of education, serves as a mentor and said the programs are making a difference, adding that the retention rate among teachers in the program is 85% from 2019-2024.

Retention rates among BCPS teachers are increasing, Cox said, because she and other mentors provide individualized support and talk frankly with mentees about their classrooms and their lives as teachers.

"When you are a teacher intern, you understand the foundation of teaching but that's only one part of becoming a classroom teacher," Cox said. "They have to acknowledge that they will participate fully in the lives of their students. But then they take a breath and look at that classroom environment and ask, 'What does that mean?'"

Lexus Baxendale, also a 2021 GVSU graduate, teaches biology at Battle Creek Central High School and serves as the school's science department chair. Like Washington, Baxendale is in her third year of teaching and has participated in three years of mentor programs. She said each year the program content has a different focus and builds on the previous year.

"This year, we've been talking a lot about being a leader, how to make changes and implement them," Baxendale said. "We build on the discussions we have had over the past two years and talk about how we can make significant change."