According to NAIS research, faculty attrition due to the pandemic has resulted in a 32% increase in job postings from 2019 to 2021. During a recent ISCA Roundtable discussion, one of our members brought up this issue of retention and the longer term strategic initiatives to help retain good faculty and staff and improve job satisfaction.

While many schools reported offering tokens of gratitude to faculty, this does not address the underlying issues that may be causing dissatisfaction.

"Fewer than half report increasing regular support—like increased planning time or additional time to connect with administrators, or changes to the ways teachers work—including opportunities to share work. Experts on well-being in education at the Authentic Connections group recommend changes that help teachers feel supported more frequently, like more regularly scheduled opportunities for one-on-one feedback and a real change of expectations, communication, and recognition tailored to the individual."

The board should know the pulse of faculty morale and work with administration to develop strategies that minimize attrition especially during these challenging times.

The NAIS article provides retention tips for each of the reasons faculty may be leaving: not feeling fulfilled; loss of trust, and feeling overwhelmed.