Tennessee Non-Traditional Degree Pathway Programs Need More Support to Retain Teachers, Researchers Say

Tennessee teachers who complete non-traditional pathways to licensure are significantly less likely than traditional degree program graduates to remain in the profession during their early careers, particularly by the start of their fifth year, according to a new study co-authored by researchers from the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA), an initiative of Vanderbilt University.

37 percent or fewer teachers from non-college or university licensure programs remain in the profession by year five, the data shows. That’s noticeably lower than the 60 percent of teachers who are still teaching at the start of their fifth year after earning licensure through a college or university program, while teaching, a hybrid of traditional and non-traditional preparation. 71 percent of teachers who followed the traditional bachelor’s degree pathway are still teaching at this fifth-year milestone.

37 percent or fewer teachers from non-college or university licensure programs remain in the profession by year five, the data shows. (Graph from TERA)

Low Retention Rates Amid Push for Non-Traditional Pathways

The findings come as non-traditional pathways to becoming an educator expand across Tennessee. Researchers note that while these programs can boost the teacher supply in the short term, their long-term sustainability is less certain.

 More teachers, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, are entering the profession through job-embedded or internship clinical experiences in non-traditional pathways. From 2017 to 2023, the share of newly hired teachers from these routes nearly doubled.

Strengthening Non-Traditional Pathway Programs

Researchers emphasized that the data do not call for eliminating non-traditional programs but for strengthening them. They note these pathways help underrepresented populations, who often lack access to traditional programs, enter the profession and meet Tennessee’s growing demand for educators.

“Given the growing reliance on non-traditional routes, states should enhance mentoring, professional development, and financial incentives to ensure the long-term retention of these educators,” Ellison and other researchers said. “This may also include addressing barriers to licensure for out-of-state and non-traditional candidates.”

Policy Recommendations: Targeted Support for High-Need Areas and Rural Schools

In their working paper, Ellison and colleagues outlined three additional policy recommendations:

1.     Target high-need subjects and schools.
“Schools with high attrition rates require targeted policies to attract and retain qualified teachers,” the researchers wrote. “These may include offering financial incentives for teachers in high-poverty and high-need schools.”

2.     Support rural schools.
“Rural and isolated schools should develop incentives to attract teachers,” they said. “These districts should invest in local teacher training programs to build community-based pipelines into the profession.”

3.     Use data to guide decisions.
“Continued monitoring of teacher workforce trends, using disaggregated data on retention rates by preparation pathway and school context, will help refine and tailor policies to reflect local needs,” the authors noted.

School Characteristics Influence Teacher Retention

TERA’s analysis found that certain school characteristics increase the likelihood of early-career teacher turnover. Teachers working in lower-performing or high-poverty schools were more likely to leave the profession early.

“We find that school characteristic measures are associated with the risk of turnover for early career teachers,” said researchers Ashley Ellison of Vanderbilt University and Jason A. Grissom, and Laura Booker of TERA. “In Tennessee, teachers who initially work in less effective, high-poverty schools are less likely to be retained.”

Grade level also plays a role.

“Teachers in secondary schools have a greater risk of not being retained compared to teachers who work in elementary schools,” the researchers added.

Teacher Characteristics Matter, Too

The data also showed that less effective teachers are more likely to leave, and younger teachers face a higher attrition risk.

“When accounting for a teacher’s effectiveness in Tennessee, there is a greater risk of turnover among less effective teachers,” the researchers noted. “A newly hired teacher’s age is also associated with retention, as older teachers have a lower risk of not being retained than newly hired teachers in their twenties.”

About the Study

The research draws on data from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) under a long-term data use agreement with TERA. It covers the 2016–17 through 2023–24 school years, focusing on newly hired teachers, defined as those who had not previously taught in the state.

While the analysis highlights Tennessee-specific trends, it also examines similar data from Kentucky.

The paper is a working draft and has not yet been peer-reviewed. Read the full working paper here.