Teacher Retention Rates and Student Achievement: A Look at Shenandoah County Public Schools
By Lewis Michael
Teacher retention is a critical factor in maintaining a stable and effective educational environment. In Shenandoah County Public Schools (SCPS), the commitment to retaining skilled educators has been a priority. Let’s delve into the teacher retention rates over the past three years.
SCPS has seen teacher retention rates of 94% in 2019-20, 85% in 2020-21, 86% in 2021-22, and 85% in 2022-23.
• Nationally, the average turnover rate for teachers stands at 16% (or 84% retention rate).
Shenandoah County’s schools are experiencing similar numbers and trends that are being seen across the Commonwealth and the Country. This issue is being addressed by SCPS with more focused recruitment efforts, positive morale building ideas for staff, and community involvement by the administration.
The SOL assessments serve as a crucial yardstick for student achievement. Let’s explore how Shenandoah County students have fared on these assessments over the past three years.
• All Shenandoah County schools are accredited, but some have conditions:
o Peter Muhlenberg Middle School and Strasburg High School are accredited with conditions.
o Strasburg’s condition relates to chronic absenteeism, and Peter Muhlenberg’s is due to reading, English, and science test scores.
• Here’s how schools performed on SOLs:
o Elementary Schools:
All elementary schools met standards in most academic categories except for a dip in Virginia studies (history) at W.W. Robinson.
o Middle Schools:
Peter Muhlenberg struggled in science but improved in other subjects.
Signal Knob excelled in all subjects except science.
o High Schools:
All three high schools improved in math and English but faced challenges in history and science.
Mountain View High School performed well in history and social sciences.
• Chronic absenteeism remains a countywide issue, with Strasburg High School having the worst attendance record.
• In 2022-23, Shenandoah County’s SOL pass rates compared to Virginia were:
o Reading: 66% (county) vs. 73% (state)
o Science: 60% (county) vs. 67% (state)
o Math: 70% (county) vs. 69% (state)
o History: 65% (both county and state)
o Eighth-grade writing SOL: 45% (county) vs55% (state)2.
Dr. Melody Sheppard, Division Superintendent, along with her staff, has been instrumental in driving these efforts. Her leadership emphasizes the importance of both teacher stability and student achievement. As she aptly puts it, “Our schools should be positive, supportive environments where students can learn and grow.” Dr. Sheppard’s commitment to improvement ensures that Shenandoah County will continue to improve academically and to retain its dedicated educators.
In the pursuit of educational success, Shenandoah County Public Schools remains steadfast, guided by the vision of Dr. Sheppard and the collective efforts of teachers, administrators, and the community.
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