Teacher Retention

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) remains committed to supporting teacher and principal retention across the District. In the 2023-24 school year, 83 percent of teachers were retained as teachers in DC, and 74 percent of teachers were retained as teachers in the same school as the previous school year. The same-school retention rate in 2023-24 increased by 3 percentage points from the previous school year’s 71 percent. Over the last five years, DC has consistently retained teachers in the city at rates of 80 percent or higher.

Five-Year Average
On average,* over the past five school years, 83 percent of teachers have been retained as teachers in DC, and 74 percent of teachers have been retained as teachers in the same school.

*This is an average weighted by the total number of public and public charter teachers in DC each year.

Principal Retention

In the 2023-24 school year, 79 percent of principals were retained as principals in DC, and 78 percent of principals were retained as principals in the same school as the previous school year. The same-school retention rate increased by 4 percentage points from the previous school year’s 74 percent. The same-school retention rate for principals has been on an upward trajectory over the last five school years. The retention rate rose from 68 percent in school year 2019-20 to 78 percent in the 2023-24 school year.

Download the 2023-24 DC Educator Retention Brief
DC Educator Retention Definitions and Methodology
(published Jan. 31, 2024)

2022-23 School Year

2022-23 DC Educator Retention Brief
DC Educator Retention Definitions and Methodology 

2021-22 School Year

2021-22 DC Educator Retention Brief
DC Educator Retention Definitions and Methodology