Teacher retention gets blamed on pay, policies, and “kids these days” but the truth we keep hearing is simpler and harder: people stay where they feel trusted, heard, and valued. We sit down with Jessica Holloway and Carrie Bishop, co-authors of Make Your School Irresistible: The Secret to Attracting and Retaining Great Teachers, to unpack what actually makes educators commit to a school and what makes them quietly start planning their exit.

We talk about the culture signals leaders send every day, from whether teacher voice is real to whether the workload feels sustainable. Jessica and Carrie share what surfaced in their conversations and surveys with educators: trust and value drive retention, while powerlessness, disconnection, and a lack of growth drive turnover. We also dig into the practical side: how to build simple systems that outlast any one leader, how social media and community events can support teacher recruiting, and why clear school identity helps the right people find you.

We explore the Invite, Invest, Inspire framework as a “teacher lifecycle” approach: invite the right-fit candidates with honest messaging, invest through strong onboarding and mentoring, and inspire educators to keep growing with purpose. If you’re facing staffing shortages, we also cover what to do when you have to hire quickly and how to help new teachers succeed without burning out.

Subscribe for more minimalist leadership and teaching strategies, share this episode with a school leader you trust, and leave a review so more educators can find the show. What’s one thing your school could change tomorrow to help great teachers stay?

Socials: @hollowayreader and @cbishop73

Other publications by Jessica and Carrie: 

• https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/why-good-teachers-leave
• https://www.ascd.org/blogs/4-ways-school-leaders-can-show-up-for-their-staff

This episode is sponsored by Plan Z Education Services. 

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