Best Practices Article: Hitting the Target with Transition to Teaching in Mississippi's Poorest School Districts: High Retention Rates through Program Support, Resources, and Strategic Recruitment

In order to assist in alleviating the teaching shortage in poor, rural school districts, also known as Local Education Agencies (LEA’s), faculty in the College of Education at Mississippi State University sought funding that would provide financial support for a new alternate route teaching program. This program, known as Learning and Educating through Alternative Programs (LEAP), would address preparation and retention issues in teacher preparation. This article will tell the story of how this transition to teaching program used effective support, resources, and strategic recruiting in order to yield high retention rates in partner school district, often at nearly 90 percent during the first three years of teaching.