Teacher Retention Programs in WV

There are several programs that may promote teacher recruitment and retention. For teachers outside of West Virginia, the Teachers ASCEND program may aid in relocation to the state. This program currently partners with Berkeley, Monongalia, Morgan, and Preston Counties to provide financial incentives for a 2-year period to live and teach in West Virginia. This program may help to bring experienced teachers, who are more likely to stay in the profession, into the state.

Recognition of quality teachers is another component that may lead to teacher retention. West Virginia has a relatively large number of national board-certified teachers, with the 15th most in the country. Board-certified teachers are 6% less likely to leave their positions. Additionally, students of board-certified teachers performed 5-10% better on literacy assessments than students of non-board-certified teachers. In an effort to increase compensation and reward high-performing teachers, board-certified teachers in West Virginia are eligible for increased compensation, which the Southern Regional Education Board has noted as a way to increase retention. Teachers who are pursuing board certification are also eligible to be reimbursed for their application fees. If board certified teachers elect to work in a low-performing school and become certified as a mentor teacher, they may also be eligible for additional increases in compensation. 

High burdens of student debt comparable to salary is a common reason teachers may choose to leave the field. West Virginia’s Underwood-Smith Teacher Loan Assistance program may be beneficial in retaining teachers considering leaving the profession due to relatively low salaries and high student loan debt. This program provides up to $3,000 in federal student loan repayment assistance annually for teachers in high-need positions, in exchange for 2 years of service in a West Virginia public school. Targeting those applying to teacher preparation programs instead of those already in the programs, West Virginia’s Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars program provides up to $40,000 in financial assistance for teacher preparation programs, in exchange for 5 years of teaching in an area of critical need in West Virginia public schools after completing the program. The Underwood-Smith programs may help to alleviate the financial burden of attending a teacher preparation program, and could result in an increased number of teachers in difficult-to-staff positions in West Virginia. The first Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars were selected in 2020, so the impact of this program on teacher retention after their service commitment is yet to be determined.

Policy Options

According to the West Virginia Department of Education, increasing compensation is one of the key ways that teacher retention could be increased. In response to this, SB 516 was introduced in the 2026 legislative session. This bill would have increased teacher salaries to a minimum of $50,000, however, it did not make it out of committee. A fiscal note accompanying the bill cited an estimated cost of implementation of $66 million. A minimum salary of $50,000 for teachers would raise their compensation to exceed that of Ohio and Kentucky and be more comparable and competitive with those of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. This could aid in potentially recruiting or retaining more teachers that live along West Virginia’s borders, areas that have a high need for teachers. The bill would have also provided a raise for all teachers, which could further help in retention efforts. 

Some West Virginia teachers are eligible for increased compensation due to their certifications, including national board certification. In order to receive increased compensation for becoming board certified, teachers in West Virginia must be designated as a mentor teacher by their school district. As this is not a component of the national board certification process, additional requirements to be eligible for increased compensation through the state could disincentivize some teachers from applying for board certification. Matching the state requirements for increased compensation for board certified teachers to the national board certification requirements could help to streamline this process and increase the number of teachers applying for board certification, which is associated with retention and performance benefits.