Eric.ed.gov – Financial Incentives to Promote Teacher Recruitment and Retention: An Analysis of the Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program

Staffing problems are pervasive in certain subject areas, such as secondary math and science and special education, where the combination of training requirements and relatively high alternative wages makes it difficult to attract and retain high-quality teachers. This project evaluated the impacts of the Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program (FCTSP) and Teacher Recruitment and Retention Fund (TRRF) on the supply of new teachers and the retention of teachers in high-need areas such as special education, math, and science. The research: (1) addressed specific research questions pertaining to three programs (loan forgiveness, tuition reimbursement, and recruitment/retention bonuses); (2) investigated the causal effects of the programs; and (3) addressed questions related to the general characteristics of the program and participating teachers. The authors’ initial descriptive analysis indicated that FCTSP teachers tend to be of lower quality (as measured by value-added) than non-participants. They also tend to be less experienced and teach more challenging (lower achieving, less well-behaved) students. Analysis of mobility patterns revealed that participants are more likely to switch schools than non-participants. However, participants are also less likely to exit public school teaching. The authors concluded that, while their preliminary analysis revealed some interesting patterns, much work remains to be done and that future work will include an analysis of the effects of recruitment and retention bonuses. Tables are appended.