The Keys to Retaining General Studies Faculty at Jewish Day Schools

By Dr. Harry Bloom, Founder and President, Benchmarking for Good, Inc.

There is little disagreement over the fact that having a stable group of talented and committed teachers can make or break a school’s quality and reputation.Therefore, teacher retention is an extremely high priority for the Heads and Principals of Jewish day schools and day schools in general . There is also hard evidence from Benchmarking for Good research conducted with 1400 Jewish day school parents that the quality of General Studies academics is one of their top school choice criteria. 

How Successful are Jewish Day Schools At Retaining General Studies Teachers? 

The answer is decidely mixed! Career retention rates for General Studies faculty in Jewish day schools range from a low of 34.6% to  a high of 78.0%, while the average number of years General Studies teachers spend at their schools ranges from a low of 3.4 years to a high of 13.6 years.

The graph above shows how 22 Jewish day schools perform on both factors. The vertical access indicates the percentage of General Studies  teachers’ careers they have spent at their current school while the horizontal access indicates their average number of years at their school. 

High performing schools average over 65% career-wide retention of General Sfudies faculty. 

Key Findings: Factors Correlating with High Tenure Among General Studies Teachers

Based on Benchmarking for Good analysis of the career paths and preferences of 600 General Studies teachers, we found 7 statistically significant positive correlations between years spent at the current school and various satisfaction factors. Here are the key results:

🔥 Strongest Correlations (Statistically Significant)

1. Mission Alignment (r=0.126, p≤0.01)

   • Teachers with longer tenure feel more aligned with the school's mission

   • This is the strongest predictor of tenure length

2. School Recommendation (r=0.111, p≤0.01)

   • Veteran teachers are more likely to recommend the school to families

   • Indicates higher organizational commitment

3. School Pride (r=0.108, p≤0.01)

   • Longer tenure correlates with greater pride in being a staff member

   • Suggests emotional investment grows over time

4. Job Satisfaction (r=0.095, p≤0.05)

   • Overall job satisfaction increases with years at the school

5. Work Tools Satisfaction (r=0.086, p≤0.05)

   • Veteran teachers are more satisfied with their tools and resources

6. Colleague Collaboration (r=0.086, p≤0.05)

   • Longer tenure correlates with better collaborative relationships

7. Staff-Student Interactions (r=0.082, p≤0.05)

   • Teachers with more years report better staff-student relationships

Key Implications

For Retention Strategy:

• Mission alignment is the strongest factor - investing in cultural fit and values alignment may improve retention

• Collaborative culture matters - fostering collegial relationships appears to support longer tenure

• Resource investment correlates with tenure - adequate tools and support may encourage staying

For Leadership:

• Veteran teachers (11+ years) represent 25.8% of staff and show highest satisfaction

• The positive correlation suggests that experience with the school environment leads to greater appreciation

• Long-term teachers become better ambassadors and are more likely to recommend the school

  
  

Bottom Line and How to Strengthen Your School's Performance

Teachers who stay longer at the school tend to develop stronger emotional and professional connections, suggesting that retention efforts should focus on cultural alignment, collaborative relationships, and adequate resource provision.

If your school would like to participate in no cost Benchmarking for Good Staff Climate research program that will give it the information it needs to be a destination of choice for General Studies faculty members please complete this brief grant interest form or contact Dr. Harry Bloom at harrybloom@benchmarkingforgood.org

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