RETAIN, DEVELOP & ATTRACT TALENT

Millstone's recent exodus of key teachers and administrators under the current leadership of the Board of Education threatens to deepen our academic performance crisis at the worst possible moment. It is a "canary in the coal mine" sending a message to the community that our district needs to do better.

Building a compelling professional culture—one that empowers teachers with autonomy, provides meaningful professional development, celebrates innovation, and creates clear pathways for growth—not only attracts top talent from higher-performing districts but also unlocks the potential of our existing staff.

DID YOU KNOW?

Research consistently shows that teacher quality is the single most important in-school factor affecting student achievement—more impactful than class size, spending, or technology—with top-quartile teachers generating 1.5 years of learning growth compared to 0.5 years for bottom-quartile teachers.

When experienced educators leave, they take with them institutional knowledge, proven instructional strategies, and the relationships that drive student success, while the district incurs substantial replacement costs averaging $20,000 per teacher for recruitment, hiring, and training.

IMPORTANCE OF BECOMING A DESTINATION DISTRICT

Millstone Township should enhance its reputation as a destination district for ambitious educators. This effort becomes self-reinforcing: the best teachers want to work alongside other exceptional professionals, creating an upward spiral of talent acquisition that directly translates to student outcomes.

By investing in culture and professional development rather than just compensation, we can maximize our $24,527 per-student investment, reduce costly turnover that disrupts learning, and finally close the 14-22 point achievement gap with our peer districts—proving that retaining and developing exceptional educators isn't just an HR strategy, it's the foundation of academic excellence.