School districts have always sought to recruit and retain the best and brightest to educate our children. Over the past few decades however there has been a steady and alarming increase in high-quality teacher shortages across the state. Teacher attrition is also on the rise, prompting many districts and their supporting policymakers to rethink what they can do to attract and keep strong teachers. In California, one of the biggest drivers of teacher turnover is the increasing cost of housing.
Without affordable housing, teachers and district employees are unable to live in the communities where they work. Not only does this create more traffic congestion and longer commutes, but it also reduces community stability and diversity and leads to weaker ties among educators, their students and their families.
