DLF | EAB’s Nationwide Collaborative to Raise Teacher Morale Cohort Five

Too often, best practices exist as theoretical ideals that are showcased at conferences, but rarely scaled in schools. EAB Collaboratives are designed to change that narrative, guiding cohorts of district leaders through collective implementation of proven solutions to complex challenges.

In the 2022-2023 school year, there is no challenge more pressing than the record low levels of teacher morale currently present in schools and districts across the nation. Low morale not only makes it harder to retain and recruit high-quality educators, it impacts the quality of instruction and support that students are receiving in schools today. Without engaged, capable teachers in classrooms, every other district initiative will grind to a halt.

We know that many of you are feeling frustrated by this challenge. We’ve seen districts try everything from giving teachers more free time to public praise to bonuses to meet the needs of exhausted employees – unfortunately to little effect. But low morale is not inevitable. Our research shows that you can build a systematic approach to raising teacher morale with lasting results. Therefore, we invite you to participate in EAB’s inaugural Collaborative to Raise Teacher Morale.

Sessions

This guided program will walk participants through step-by-step implementation of a systematic process for raising teacher morale, based on best practices from leading organizations across multiple industries. EAB experts will provide the insights and tools you need to successfully establish these practices in your schools, while a nationwide cohort of peers will create the community and shared accountability needed to see this through (and celebrate the results!).

What are the details?

• The collaborative consists of a five-session, intensive program that will run from January through May, followed by progress monitoring into the following academic year.
• Participants will be led through a guided curriculum for the implementation of practices to diagnose sources of low morale, prioritize which to address first, and co-design solutions with district educators to ensure targeted, lasting results.
• Participants will receive access to EAB’s Teacher Morale Diagnostic, Threat Prioritization Playbook, and Morale Booster Compendium.

Who can participate?

• Each school district is allowed two participants – one executive sponsor and one implementation leader.
• We recommend the Executive Sponsor is the Superintendent or the Assistant Superintendent and is the district champion of raising teacher morale.
• The Implementation Leader is responsible for the delegation or completion of tasks, facilitating solution designing conversations, incorporating feedback, etc.
• The Implementation Leader is required to attend every collaborative session, and while it is strongly encouraged that the Executive Sponsor attend each collaborative session as well, it is not required.

Why will this approach be different?

• Solutions rooted in research: EAB research found that organizational approached to raising employee morale typically fall into three categories, but only one delivers consistent results. This winning approach is also the least common approach seen among public school districts, representing just 3% of those analyzed in our research. We have applied these best practices to the unique context of public education to make progress possible in your schools.
• A long-term model of support: Delivering recommendations is the easy part. We know you need help implementing new practices and making them stick for the long-term. That’s why this collaborative pairs detailed guidance to get you started with ongoing, iterative support to ensure you realize results from your investments. This is a partnership, not an engagement.
• A community of peers: Implementing new practices can be daunting, and often requires buy-in from a wide array of stakeholders. A formal collaborative enables participants to workshop challenges together, provides evidence that other districts are going through the same process, and positions you district as a leader in addressing arguably the most important challenge in public education today. EAB experts will provide tailored coaching every step of the way, but we know there’s know substitute for sharing this experience with peer practitioners across the nation.

Join us and we’re confident you’ll agree. EAB is committed to helping you overcome critical challenges through turning research into reality in your schools. The Collaborative to Raise Teacher Morale stems from our belief in partnerships over engagements and staying with you all the way from recommendations to results. To build a lasting solution for raising teacher morale and unblock the road to strategic progress, please register for the collaborative.

Use the drop-down to register for a session. All sessions are from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

• Tuesday, September 26, 2023 | Kickoff
• Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | Diagnose Causes
• Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | Prioritize Threats
• Wednesday, December 20, 2023 | Co-Design Solutions
• Tuesday, February 13, 2024 | Planning for Permanence