Teacher retention is an ongoing challenge for districts across the country, but at Raymore-Peculiar School District in Missouri, we achieved an impressive 93% retention rate in the 2023–2024 academic year. How? A robust and supportive mentorship program that supports the “whole teacher” by encouraging growth, development and long-term commitment.
For new teachers, our comprehensive five-year induction program provides consistent guidance, helping them focus on what they do best: teach. Mentorship not only enhances job satisfaction but also gives teachers the tools and confidence to thrive, which has helped attract exceptional talent to our district.
Here’s how other school districts can adopt a similar approach to mentorship that inspires teacher retention by offering them the collaborative professional development they need and want.
Video-enhanced coaching
Upon starting at Raymore-Peculiar, each teacher is paired with an instructional coach who also serves as a mentor throughout their five-year induction program. As part of their coaching, new teachers capture their teaching on video four times during their first year. They then review these videos with their mentor through Teaching Channel’s EMPOWER platform.
We used to require only two videos per year. Recently, we’ve had an increase in teachers from alternative certification pathways, meaning they didn’t have the traditional year of student teaching. To help accelerate the learning process for these teachers, we increased the number of video observations and reviews, allowing them to see exemplary teaching practices and get feedback on their own instruction.
Using video allows teachers to learn from their peers and their own experiences in the privacy of their classrooms. Teachers can share videos with their peers if they want, but the videos are not shared with administrators for evaluation purposes, so teachers learn and grow without feeling exposed. Our induction program follows a “gradual release” model, offering more structured support in the first year and increasing flexibility as teachers become more experienced and build support networks with their peers.
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Professional learning communities are another key element to our program, offering a supportive community in person and online. We host weekly meetings for subject or grade-level teams so teachers can come together to collaborate and discuss curriculum, challenges and instructional strategies.
As a district, we also hold monthly collaboration days where we invite instructional coaches, principals or elementary and secondary directors to lead a lesson or provide additional training, providing our teachers and administration with new perspectives and insights related to our specific needs or the district’s.
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Mentors drive discussions around best practices and instructional techniques during one-on-one meetings or after-school training sessions with their proteges. In addition, all teachers across the district have two opportunities every year to observe colleagues and give feedback.
This collaborative approach helps teachers improve their skills and teaching methods in a supportive, team-based environment. By fostering a strong sense of community, we encourage innovation in their practice, which motivates them to continue their careers in our district.
Mentorship as a Recruitment Tool
Our approach to mentorship has also proven to be a powerful tool for recruiting teachers. Prospective teachers often ask about our induction program and we can point out that, while schools in Missouri are required to offer only two years of mentoring to new teachers, Raymore-Peculiar offers five years. By prioritizing video-powered mentoring, we serve our teachers, students and community.
At the end of each school year, the district surveys all teachers. One of the questions we ask is if the use of video has enhanced their practice. The response is overwhelmingly positive, with nearly 100% of teachers consistently saying “yes.” The survey is part of Raymore-Peculiar’s reflective approach to the mentoring program. We review and modify it each year based on feedback and observed needs.
For example, based on feedback from teachers, we recently increased the number of times our proteges meet with their mentors and meet with each other. This responsive approach fits our culture of supporting the whole teacher through collaborative professional development.
