If you’ve tried to hire a preschool teacher in Florida in the last year, you know it’s not easy. Great early childhood educators are in high demand—and in short supply. And even when you manage to hire someone wonderful, keeping them can be just as difficult.
In my work with schools here in Florida, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it has become to hire and keep great preschool teachers. Centers compete not only with each other but also with retail and service jobs that often pay more and offer steadier hours.
The result is a revolving door. Many teachers work two jobs to make ends meet. Some leave mid-year, exhausted by low wages, high stress, and little support. This is not just a Florida issue, it’s a national workforce emergency. A recent Wall Street Journal feature by Anne Tergesen and Veronica Dagher[1] described child care as being in “crisis mode,” pointing to systemic breakdowns across pay, benefits, working conditions, and professional development.
Yet I believe there is hope. Over my four decades in education, I’ve seen schools create strong, joyful teams even in the toughest circumstances.
Together, let’s look at the challenges we face, why retention matters so deeply, and seven practical strategies you can adopt to build stable, mission-driven teams. While this article is written with Florida leaders in mind, the strategies I’ll share apply across the country.
Why Retention Matters More Than Ever
When a teacher leaves, the impact goes far beyond the logistics of finding a replacement.
Children lose the consistency they rely on for trust and emotional security. Parents begin to question whether their child is in a stable environment. Staff who remain often feel added pressure, leading them to consider leaving as well.
The cultural cost of turnover is especially damaging. Schools thrive on community, shared values, and the sense that “we’re in this together.” Each departure chips away at that foundation.
Over time, turnover doesn’t just drain your budget, it erodes the very culture that makes your school a place where teachers, children, and families want to belong.
What You Can Do: 7 Strategies That Make a Real Difference
In my experience, the schools that handle staffing challenges best are those that focus on building cultures where teachers feel valued, supported, and inspired to stay. Here are seven strategies I’ve seen make a real difference.
1. Build a Culture of Respect and Belonging
Educators stay where they feel seen as both professionals and human beings. And small gestures go a long way. A simple “thank you,” making time to listen, or inviting teachers’ ideas into decision-making can shift the atmosphere of an entire school. These may feel minor, but they carry real weight when practiced consistently.
Teachers want caring systems that consider their humanity. That means leadership that connects with them, holds accountability fairly, responds with empathy, and affirms the value of their work. When teachers know they matter as people, and not just as employees, they’re far more likely to stay and grow with your school.
2. Align Practices With School’s Core Values
One reason many educators leave is misalignment between a school’s stated values and what leadership actually practices. I’ve spoken with teachers who left programs that proudly declare inclusivity, yet allowed policies or behaviors that communicated exclusion.
As leaders, we can’t say we value equity, respect, or child-centered learning and then make decisions that contradict those values. When teachers sense that disconnect, it undermines trust and drives them to seek communities where their principles are honored.
Walking the talk matters. When your daily decisions reflect your mission and values, teachers not only stay but also become your strongest ambassadors.
3. Provide Competitive Compensation and Benefits
Compensation will always matter, but it’s not just about the hourly wage. It’s about the entire package of how you support your team. Some programs in Florida are getting creative:
- Offering paid professional development days
- Giving staff discounted or free child care (one preschool I know even covers 50% tuition for staff children)
- Providing stipends for classroom materials
- Offering birthdays off as a paid holiday
- Contributing to healthcare stipends or mental health wellness plans
I know budgets are tight, and not every school can offer everything on this list. But even small gestures, like bringing in a catered lunch during busy weeks or writing handwritten thank-you notes can send a powerful message: we value you, and we see the work you do.
4. Offer Flexibility Where You Can
One of the main reasons teachers leave is burnout. It is not only about low pay. Long hours, little planning time, and a lack of control over schedules all take their toll.
Work-life balance matters. Teachers, like everyone else, want time with their families, space to recharge, and energy left at the end of the day. When schools honor this, teachers feel cared for. And when teachers are cared for, children benefit from calmer, more focused classrooms.
Consider offering:
- Job sharing or part-time roles. I know of a small center that created a job-share arrangement for two teachers who both needed reduced hours. Both stayed, and the children thrived.
- Floaters to give lead teachers real breaks.
- Weekly planning time built into the schedule.
- A clear PTO policy that is respected.
Even small adjustments in how time is managed can have a large impact on retention.
5. Create Career Pathways
Another insight from the Wall Street Journal[2] was that many states are investing in tuition-free CDA and fast-track credentialing programs. The reason is simple. When early educators see a future in the field, they are more likely to stay.
You can help by:
- Connecting with your local community college or workforce board. For example, your center can partner with a nearby college to give assistants a clear route to earning their credentials.
- Offering to host practicum students. Your preschool can partner with local training programs to welcome student teachers into your classrooms. This gives them valuable hands-on experience and builds a natural pipeline of future educators who already know your culture and practices.
- Celebrating professional milestones publicly. Your preschool can highlight staff achievements in meetings, newsletters, or even on a bulletin board. Recognizing when someone earns a new credential or reaches a work anniversary shows that growth is noticed and valued.
Build a culture where teachers grow with you. Not one where they feel they have to leave in order to grow.
6. Build a Mentorship Model
New teachers should never feel alone. A mentorship system pairs new hires with experienced educators who can answer questions, share classroom strategies, and simply listen.
This is not only about retention; it is about building connections. Mentorship deepens trust, creates friendships, and adds joy to the work. A quick check-in or a monthly reflection circle can make the difference between a teacher resigning and a teacher thriving.
Strong teams do not just appear. They are nurtured.
7. Invest in Tools That Help Teachers Succeed
Teachers are far more likely to stay when they have what they need to do their jobs well. This means a high-quality curriculum, practical assessment tools, and communication systems that work.
What does not work is giving them five different apps, each with its own login, and asking them to juggle them in the middle of the school day. Simplify instead. Choose tools that fit together. Ensure they save time rather than add to it.
illumine can help you here as it provides every tool a teacher needs—parent communication tools, real-time updates, observation tools, an AI-powered lesson planner, and a lot more.
When teachers feel equipped and supported, they can focus on what they love most. Teaching children.
A Sample Retention Rhythm You Can Adopt
Retention does not happen by accident. It grows out of consistent habits that show teachers they are valued and supported. Here is a rhythm you can build into your leadership calendar.
Weekly
- Check in with your team informally. Ask how they are really doing. These small conversations prevent issues from piling up and show that you care about more than just performance.
Monthly
- Offer one hour of paid planning time or peer sharing. Teachers need space to reflect and recharge. This small investment pays back in energy and new ideas.
- Recognize staff contributions publicly in meetings, emails, or parent newsletters. Recognition boosts morale and reinforces a culture of gratitude.
Quarterly
- Hold a one-on-one review focused on support, not evaluation. Teachers stay when they feel their leaders want to help them succeed.
- Ask for feedback on what would help them thrive. This makes teachers partners in building the culture of the school.
Annually
- Conduct a formal survey on satisfaction and workplace culture. Data helps you spot trends before they become crises.
- Revisit compensation and consider where you can improve, even incrementally. Small steps, communicated honestly, show progress and commitment.
Retention is not about a single program or benefit. It is about rhythms of care, accountability, and appreciation that keep teachers rooted in your school community.
Final Thoughts
Yes, the market is tough. Yes, there are factors outside of your control. But there are also many things within your reach.
Staffing challenges will not disappear overnight. There are economic realities and systemic issues that none of us can control. Yet much still lies within our reach.
The schools that thrive will be the ones led by directors and owners who choose every day to invest in their people. Retention is not just a strategy. It is an expression of leadership and care.
By building a culture of respect, offering real opportunities for growth, and creating simple rhythms of support, you can make your school a place where teachers want to stay. And when teachers feel secure and valued, children and families flourish too.
References
[1] Dagher, V., & Tergesen, A. (2025, July 5). Late-career job losses are blurring what retirement looks like in America. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/early-retirement-layoff-america-77c94667?mod=hp_featst_pos3
[2] Weber, L. (2020, January 7). Employers want to train workers but are swimming in options. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/employers-want-to-train-workers-but-are-swimming-in-options-11578393001
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