Teacher quality and stability are critical to school success, and talent-related challenges often signal broader organizational distress. Schools in decline frequently experience high levels of teacher turnover, declining staff capacity, and a lack of systems to develop and support educators. These conditions make it difficult to maintain instructional consistency, build a strong school culture, or drive improvement over time.

Persistent turnover especially when it occurs mid-year or involves key instructional staff can destabilize both classroom instruction and broader school operations. Leadership is forced to prioritize immediate staffing gaps over long-term strategic goals. In many distressed schools, turnover reflects deeper issues such as dissatisfaction with leadership, poor school culture, or a weak connection to the school’s mission. Financial constraints, limited recruitment pipelines, and overburdened teaching roles further limit a school’s ability to attract and retain high-quality educators, often leading to burnout and declining performance.

The Indicators of Distress Tool helps authorizers and governing boards proactively identify talent-related warning signs, such as chronic staff turnover, unfilled positions, and lack of professional development systems. Early identification enables schools to shift from reactive staffing solutions toward long-term strategies that promote educator growth, stability, and stronger student outcomes.