Nearly a third of all U.S. schools are classified as rural schools. Together, these schools educate nearly 1 in 5 students. However, rural schools often struggle to attract and retain a sufficient and high-quality teaching workforce. This is partially due to limited local tax bases, less competitive salaries compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, and limited access to educator preparation programs.
A 2023 analysis of hiring across district types found that 59% of rural schools had serious difficulty filling one or more openings — higher than their urban (56%) or suburban (51%) counterparts. The data also show large differences in vacancies and staffing difficulties for certain subject areas with math, science and special education having the biggest staffing problems. Ultimately, these challenges around inadequate staffing disproportionately impact schools that serve linguistically diverse students, students identified for special education and students of color.
In response, states are implementing varied strategies to recruit and retain high-quality teachers in rural communities; including financial incentives, induction and mentoring for early career teachers, and grow-your-own programs.
Financial Incentives
According to our 50-State Comparison on Teacher Recruitment and Retention, there are 46 states that have scholarship or loan forgiveness programs for new or aspiring teachers. These programs can help alleviate financial burdens for new teachers, but may have stipulations regarding subject matter, community characteristics and years of service required. Colorado Center for Rural Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education administer the Colorado Rural Student Teaching Stipend with a stipend of up to $4,000 a semester for students who complete their final student teaching experience in a rural district and commit to teaching in a rural district for at least two years.
Thirty-two states offer at least one financial incentive to recruit teachers to underserved schools or geographic areas of need. Schools and areas of need are often defined or designated by the state and can include metrics such as Title 1 status, free and reduced price lunch, and student achievement levels. Kentucky’s professional compensation fund provides grants of up to $200,000 to school districts to pilot differentiated compensation programs for teachers. Programs may be designed to recruit and retain teachers in critical shortage areas, help reduce the number of emergency certified teachers, and provide incentives to recruit and retain highly skilled teachers to serve in difficult assignments and hard-to-fill positions.
Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have at least one financial incentive to recruit teachers to teach a shortage subject area or specific student populations. States often determine shortage subject areas based on the level of unfilled positions, emergency credentialed or under-qualified teachers, and teachers working outside their certified fields that are teaching certain subjects or student groups. Minnesota’s Student Teachers Grants consist of two grant programs, which provide financial assistance to students enrolled in teacher preparation programs that require at least 12 weeks of student teaching. The Student Teachers Grant in Shortage Areas program provides grants for students with a demonstrated financial need who intend to teach in a license shortage area or rural school districts. The Underrepresented Student Teacher Grant program provides grants student teachers who belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the state’s teacher workforce. Eligible students can receive awards of up to $7,500 for one term in which they are completing the required student teaching experience.
Induction and Mentoring
Thirty-two states require induction and mentoring in some form for new teachers. Induction and mentoring programs can help retain early career teachers by building their teaching skills while fostering a sense of belonging. Well-implemented induction and mentoring can help prevent attrition amongst this population of teachers, of which estimates show about a third leave the classroom before year five. Mentoring roles also offer experienced teachers meaningful leadership and professional growth opportunities which help teachers feel more satisfied in their work, stay connected to their role as educators and make them less likely to leave the classroom.
Idaho statute requires districts to provide mentoring and professional development supports for the first three years. The Idaho Mentoring Program is led by the Idaho Department of Education in partnership with the Idaho State Board of Education. The program prioritizes educators working in rural remote and rural distant school districts, particularly those who may not have access to in-building mentoring support.
Grow-Your-Own Programs
Grow-Your-Own (GYO) programs focus on recruiting and preparing community members such as long-term substitutes, paraprofessionals and students to become teachers. These programs are often built on a collaborative partnership between a school district, a teacher preparation provider (college or university), and a community organization. Because they recruit locally, GYO programs have a unique potential to increase local teacher supply, reduce teacher shortages, and promote teacher diversity in rural communities.
The Michigan Consortium for Addressing Rural Education Expansion and Retention (MiCAREER) is a statewide consortium of teacher preparation programs and pre-K through 12 school partners led by Central Michigan University. Funded through a $15 million Michigan Department of Education (MDE) grant, MiCAREER provides no cost pathways to credentials. MiCAREER helps districts staff critical roles by seeking candidates who fit specific needs, such as long-term substitutes, paraprofessionals with bachelor’s degrees seeking initial certification, or veteran educators looking to add specialized credentials to fulfill district demands.
Although rural teacher shortages have persisted for many years, states have shown promising recruitment and retention results through financial incentives, induction and mentoring for early career teachers, and grow-your-own programs. Regardless of community context, schools across the country face challenges with sustainable teacher recruitment and retention. For additional information on teacher recruitment and retention more broadly, please see our 50-State Comparison: Teacher Recruitment and Retention.
