Keeping Teachers Is Key to Successful Schools

Re “Building Teachers In-House,” editorial, Dec. 18: Although it’s encouraging that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing recognizes the dire need for qualified teachers, your editorial overlooks a critical component of any successful credentialing program: teacher retention.

Nationally, about 50% of teachers leave the profession in less than five years on the job, and the percentage is much higher in heavily urban school districts. At UCLA, our credentialing program focuses on preparing teachers for the urban settings where they’re needed most by providing what they need most to succeed: extra peer and mentor support, immersion in community-specific cultures and results-proven techniques grounded in rigorous research. The result: 71% of our program graduates stay on the job longer than five years.

For true success, any alternative credentialing program must address retention. It serves no purpose to prepare “highly qualified” teachers if they don’t stay on the job.

Jody Z. Priselac

Executive Director

Center X

UCLA