LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The retention rate for Jefferson County Public Schools is bouncing back; the numbers show there's nearly 12% fewer resignations this school year.
Tammy Shelton is a 2nd grade co-teacher at McFerran Elementary School. She also grew up in JCPS and is now a teacher of 31 years.
Retirement was an option this year, but she decided to stay.
"The more I thought about it, I decided, you know, I don't think I want to, I still want to work because there is a lot of things I still want to do, especially at my school," Shelton said.
She said her students, school leadership, and the opportunities she's been given, led her to stay with the district.
"I couldn't teach kindergarten so I went back to get certified and JCPS gave me the opportunity to do that for free," Shelton said.
She isn't the only teacher staying. JCPS said it has a retention rate of 94.9% this school year. That's a 1% increase from last year after 430 teachers resigned.
JCPS leaders said they've aimed to improve working conditions and listen to staff about their needs.
"Having supplies readably available, having time that they can kind of tap out if things are getting extra stressful," Aimee Green-Webb, chief of human resources at JCPS, said.
She said this is also the district's first year that 17% of the teachers are people of color.
"All students do better when they have a teacher of color in place, but certainly students of color do better when they see teachers and leaders who look like them," Green-Webb said.
While JCPS said it's still a work in progress, Shelton is proud to serve in the district that taught her.
"At the end of the day it really tries to help everyone, the teachers and the students, you know, the best that it can," said Shelton.
JCPS credits other strategies like coaching sessions with principals and emphasizing wellbeing as also helping with retention.