The push to replace veteran teachers
Why some schools are losing their most experienced educators—and why it matters for students.
Originally published in the Moultrie News.
A great teacher at my child’s school said she isn’t coming back next year, though she’s taught there for over 15 years, because their new principal “was pushing out the veteran teachers for young, inexperienced teachers.” Can a principal fire veteran teachers, and why would they?
An unfortunate perception among experienced teachers is that, for a certain swath of principals, the more experience you have, the less valuable you are.
That perception is rooted in reality. An analysis by Education Next found that principals were 33 percent more likely to dismiss teachers aged 36-50 than teachers aged 22-28, a stunning difference. A few years ago, veteran Atlanta teachers sued their district, claiming they were being pushed out in favor of younger teachers more aligned with the new administration’s agenda. Experienced teachers will tell you that sort of thing happens a lot.
Why would some principals prefer younger teachers to seasoned veterans? There are several spurious reasons:
The rationale: Veterans aren’t up on the latest methods.
The truth: Veterans once were the new teachers up on the latest methods. Those methods gave way to newer ones, making the “latest” methods obsolete. The lesson is that in education, today’s treasure is tomorrow’s trash, making it unwise to base staffing decisions on such fleeting attributes
The rationale: Veteran teachers are stuck in their ways.
The truth: Sticking with winning methods is called wisdom, not rigidity. Besides, veteran teachers are generally open to anything that truly improves their craft.
The rationale: Veterans push back on new initiatives.
The truth: Often true — because most new initiatives are old, failed initiatives in new packaging. Their pushback can sharpen an untested strategy or save a school from repeating costly mistakes.
The rationale: Young teachers relate better to today’s students.
The truth: Relating is a fraction of what educating children requires. Teaching ability, high expectations, effective discipline, and earned respect matter far more, and experienced teachers are more likely to deliver them.
Can principals summarily fire veteran teachers? No, but they can apply pressure that pushes them out, like reassigning them outside their expertise, loading their rosters with difficult students, moving their classrooms, and suddenly flunking them on evaluations despite years of strong performance.
That’s a grave error, because the stereotype of veterans as stubborn and outmoded is simply wrong. A landmark study by Matthew Kraft and John Papay showed that teachers improve steadily for at least 15-20 years, growing especially effective with struggling students and classroom management. A Harvard Graduate School of Education study found that teachers with 10 or more years of experience produced higher student achievement gains than newer teachers — and that their students were more likely to succeed in later courses. Experienced teachers don’t just help students right now; they improve their long-range trajectories.
Pushing them out can cause real institutional damage. A study in the American Educational Research Journal found that schools losing several veteran teachers at once often see student achievement drop for years, harming entire grade levels, not just individual courses.
That’s because veteran teachers carry irreplaceable knowledge. They understand the school culture, usually better than administrators who arrive from outside schools. They know which discipline strategies work with specific student populations, how families in the community tend to respond, and which initiatives have already been tried and failed. They mentor newer teachers in ways no training program can replicate.
Ask any veteran teacher and not one will say they were better their first three years than they are now. In my first years, I was a walking stereotype: young, relatable, and enthusiastic. But my instructional abilities were poor, and I made mistakes constantly. Experience brought what it brings nearly every teacher: better judgment, stronger instincts, and healthier student relationships built on mutual respect rather than age proximity. And who helped me improve the most? Experienced colleagues.
Does that mean principals should avoid new teachers entirely? Not at all. The most effective principals know there is strength in diversity. Young teachers bring fresh methods and energy; veterans help them grow. Veterans bring quality and wisdom; young teachers keep them sharp.
Youth and experience together create success. Principals who forget that shortchange everyone — especially your child.
Jody Stallings has been an award-winning teacher in Charleston since 1992 and is director of the Charleston Teacher Alliance. To submit a question, order his books, or follow him on social media, please visit JodyStallings.com.
Jody, my brother, again you have written an accurate analysis on this topic. May I add one thing: veteran teachers serve as mentors to student teachers still pursuing a credential. Nothing replaces effective classroom management at all levels of education.