How School Leaders in California Can Empower Teachers
| by Christian Malarsie
Empowered teachers are essential to school and student success. They’re more creative and innovative in their teaching methods. They’re better problem solvers and are better positioned to respond to student needs. And, importantly, they’re happier and more likely to stay in their job and in a teaching career.
But a culture of empowered teachers won’t happen on its own. It takes intentional effort and support, and that starts at the school-leader level.
If you’re a school leader in California, below are 3 strategies to help you empower your teaching staff in the Golden State.
Start with Teacher Preparation
If a teacher isn’t ready for the classroom — if she doesn’t have the necessary skills in lesson planning, classroom management, educational technology, and more — she’s much more likely to get overwhelmed. School leaders can empower teachers by giving them the support and resources they need to grow and develop. This should include a strong mentorship program, quality professional development, and regular check-ins, especially with newer teachers.
California schools continue to face significant teacher shortages, with a 7% decrease in Teacher Preparation Program enrollment over the past five years, according to the Learning Policy Institute. This means more and more teachers are coming to Golden State classrooms from alternative routes, and those teachers need support as they transition into education and earn their California teacher credentials.
If you’re part of a larger district or organization, perhaps you could build an entire team dedicated to teacher credentialing. If your organization is smaller, maybe it’s a single leader. The key is making sure your teachers know where to go with questions and know they have someone in their corner.
If you have the budget, you could offer Teacher/Educator Preparation Program tuition support in exchange for a certain number of years of service. Or, consider partnering with a university to get your teachers additional support and discounts. At Moreland University, for example, if more than 30 teachers in your organization need a professional credential, Moreland will offer a discounted tuition rate.
Provide Meaningful Professional Development
High-quality professional development is critical for teacher growth, but it needs to be practical, flexible, and genuinely beneficial. School leaders can empower teachers by ensuring professional development opportunities align with their goals and offer meaningful paths to career advancement.
If a teacher’s ultimate goal is to move into administration, for example, offer leadership training or an administrative-development program. If a group of your teachers loves experimenting with new technology, you could send them to a conference about artificial intelligence and innovative teaching technologies and strategies.
Teachers are professionals who want to advance their careers, and professional development should help them achieve that goal in a tangible way. When teachers are empowered to focus on the areas and subjects most meaningful to them, they’re much more engaged and likely to get a lot more out of the process.
Plus, in return, you’ll get a group of committed, passionate educators who are excited about the work and who deliver strong results for students, schools, and communities.
A few ideas:
- Support your teachers who want to earn a master’s degree. U.S. teachers with a master’s have an average top salary that’s $10,457 a year more than the top salary for teachers with a bachelor’s only, according to the National Education Association.
- As much as possible, increase and protect your budget for professional development. Offer a stipend for teachers who want to create and run their own PD sessions for their peers. An upfront investment here will more than pay off down the road.
- Work continuously to evaluate and improve your professional development based on new technologies, ideas, and innovations. Education is constantly evolving; your PD needs to evolve as well.
Focus on Teacher Well-Being
Teacher satisfaction is low. Only 33% of U.S. teachers are extremely satisfied with their job, according to a Pew Research Center survey, with the biggest complaints being low pay, a lack of benefits, and a lack of access to resources and training.
Teaching is a meaningful, rewarding career, but it’s also a very difficult job, and it’s easy to get burnt out. As a school leader, make sure your district or organization is prioritizing teacher well-being by investing in mental-health initiatives, providing access to counseling services, and fostering a supportive school culture where educators feel valued and heard.
Wherever you’re able, give your teachers autonomy. Give them freedom in how they plan lessons, run their classrooms, and structure work with their teacher teams.
And finally, don’t forget to say thank you. Create meaningful, ongoing recognition that reinforces teachers’ value and contributions to the school community. Recognition should be timely, consistent, and, whenever possible, personalized.
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