ST. GEORGE — An education researcher whose work has been used to aid legislators in Utah said schools in the state and Southern Utah aren’t seeing teacher turnover like the rest of the nation.

Reino Makkonen, a senior policy associate for education research firm WestEd, discussed some observations and his study project, “Principal Retention Patterns in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah,” declaring principals and teachers in Utah feel valued and happy overall. Makkonen’s work, like his study on principal retention, has been used to help create policies and laws within the state.

School administration retention

Makkonen complimented the leadership in prioritizing education in the state within the last couple of years.

“I credit the leadership in the state … for recognizing the importance of school leadership,” he said, “and dedicating some school funds to increase retention and support these really important individuals.”

Makkonen said that a difference in the retention of principals within educational systems is due to the Legislative branch.

“To its credit, the Legislature has tried to put some funds behind school leadership in new ways,” Makkonen said.

The studies are run through the Utah Department of Education and the Utah State Board of Education. The data from studies are relayed to the legislative sessions, where it is discussed by the representatives and senators.

The money appropriated for school leadership grants was approved in 2019. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the money was re-appropriated for other needs. The state government is now putting money back into the school leadership grants.

The School Turnaround Grant initiative made changes to SB 234: School Turnaround Amendments and the proposal by USBE is titled R277-327. The School Leadership Development Grant was co-sponsored by then-Rep. Brad Last, R-Hurricane.

The amended bill identified low-performing schools in the bottom 3% statewide for two consecutive years. It provided for a third party (WestEd) to conduct a school-needs assessment and do an analysis.

Makkonen specializes in education in Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California. He possesses a master’s degree in educational policy analysis from Harvard University and a doctorate in educational measurement and evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley.

WestEd, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, focuses on tackling issues surrounding education. They are contracted out with the state to research and provide statistics for a variety of issues within education.

“I am probably most proud of my work because the states try to learn from the evidence and have tried to put some resources behind it, so these leaders stay in schools, supports their communities and support their teachers to stay in schools,” Makkonen said.

Teacher retention

Though Makkonen has not done studies primarily on teacher retention within the state, he has offered the following observations based on his research:

• The state of Utah is higher than the national average in teacher retention.
  • 9% teacher turnover rate last year. The national average was 16%.
• The highest teacher turnover rate is within the first five years of teaching.
  • 46% of teachers in Utah left the field within that period, while the national average is 44% for the first five years.
• Retention is not all about money.
  • Teachers stay at their schools and within their career fields because they feel appreciated while having the resources needed come in a close second. Overall, pay came near the bottom of the list.

“I think the surprising thing for me was there was not a lot of turnover in that first COVID year,” he said. “I thought a lot of folks, with the uncertainty… would have been, ‘I don’t want to do virtual school’ and would move on to a different opportunity. That was not the case.”

He said he was also surprised that rural schools had a much higher rating than neighboring states.

The one conclusion from the research that did not surprise him was the higher turnover rates in schools with higher levels of poverty and lower test scores.

Overall, he was impressed with Utah and its actions to ensure better education.

“I was impressed. People cared about the community. The teachers want to teach and really help,” Makkonen said.

Washington County School District teacher retention

Washington County School District Director of Communications Steven Dunham said the local district beat the national average – and by quite a bit.

“Historically, the district retains about 72.8% of our teachers longer than five years. This is almost 17% higher than the state average.”

The district is above the state average on starting teacher salaries. Starting compensation is $51,070, while the state average is $49,385.

Dunham added the main reason teachers leave is retirement, while most teachers stay within the district because of the supportive learning conditions.

“It helps foster rewarding, interesting work and opportunities for educators to innovate while feeling supported and valued,” Dunham said.

Being a teacher in her second year, Mads Nelson, a third-grade teacher at Arrowhead Elementary, said she stayed in a teaching career for various reasons and does not plan on leaving the field anytime soon.

A graduate of Southern Utah University, she fell in love with the area and took part in an internship program that allowed her to be a full-time teacher for Washington County School District.

“Washington County had a really great reputation for teaching, but I was told beforehand the program was really hard to get into as it was a highly sought-after district… so I had written it off,” Nelson said.

Then a friend who became aware of her situation knew of a principal who was looking for an intern. She was able to meet Arrowhead Principal Kim Heki and secured the position. She said this worked out great for her as her husband was working as a plumber in St. George at the time.

She talked about what impressed her about teaching within the local Southern Utah community was the content of studies such as a cursive writing program. According to the National Education Association, 21 states require cursive writing within the state’s teaching curriculum.

When asked about taking a job in Utah with lower pay than working for some states that pay more like Nevada,she said she established roots here in Utah and found more respect within the field.

“I felt like there was a good culture overall within Utah schools,” Nelson said. “For the most part, families prioritize respect… It is a better overall environment.”

As a teacher in her second year, she said she understands the statistics of teachers within Utah leaving their teaching within the first five years.

“Teaching can be a hard job,” Nelson said. “There is so much to it. It takes a lot of time and it can be a little hard to balance your personal life.”

Sydney Jolley, a second-grade teacher at Legacy Elementary, felt the same way about why teachers leave early in their careers.

“You have this vision in your mind what it’s going to be like, and then you get into the classroom, and ‘Oh, this takes a lot more time,'” Jolley said. “This isn’t just an eight-hours-a-day job,” Jolley said.

Jolley is a teacher with over 35 years of teaching experience all within Washington County School District.

“Not only are you invested timewise, but you’re invested emotionally,” Jolley added.

She said when she was a new teacher, she went in believing she would save every child. But then reality hit, and she realized she could make a big difference but not to every child. There are extraneous and difficult circumstances that are beyond a teacher’s control.

“Reality hits in the first five years, and you have to really know you love teaching,” Jolley said.

Her love for her students was her primary reason for staying in such a high-demand career.

She said the education profession is not the same as it was 35 years ago. The reasons for teacher retention back then are not the same as within the last five years.

The support at home was different and more available back then than today. Her observation is both parents now have to work to provide a home and way of life due to such things as inflation and the economy. When she started, one parent was able to stay home and help provide more support to the children within the home.

“The parents of the students I have are wonderful parents and love their children,” Jolley said. “But their time is so divided and things are managed so different right now.”

Teaching is not about money, but it is about love: The love for your students and the love for teaching, Jolley said.

“You really have to love what you are doing to stay in it this long,” Jolley said.

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