Teachers Advisory Council gives feedback on Stay Interview Initiative

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Teachers Advisory Council answered questions and gave feedback on the new Stay Interview Initiative during their meeting on Dec. 12.

KDE’s Division of Educator Recruitment and Development in the Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness recently launched the Stay Interview Initiative to uncover what motivates teachers to remain in the profession. They are partnering with GoTeachKY Ambassadors, a group of teachers helping KDE with educator recruitment efforts by connecting with prospective educators and community members.

GoTeachKY Ambassadors are conducting one-on-one or small-group interviews with teachers in their school building and recording their responses to eight questions in a google form. The interviews took place in November and December 2025, and will happen again in March and April 2026.

The interview is comprised of eight questions that explore the full arc of a teacher’s experience. Elly Gilbert, assistant director of KDE’s Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness, said the questions range from why they initially joined the profession to the specific joys they look forward to each day.

“Beyond personal reflection, the interviews provide a platform for teachers to offer constructive feedback, specifically asking what aspects of the job they would change and what support leadership could provide to make their schools the best possible places to work,” Gilbert said.

Responses will be recorded anonymously in the Google form without collecting any personally identifiable information. KDE will analyze the responses and create a report detailing the overarching themes uncovered.

Gilbert asked members of the Teachers Advisory Council for feedback on how KDE can improve the interview to get better data. She also asked members to answer each question from the interview during the meeting, although KDE will not use their responses in their data.

The first question was why teachers stay in education. Wendy Young, representing Fayette County, said she stays because she loves making a difference in the lives of students and parents.

“I can see a huge difference within a few months of students either not being able to read or not being able to write very well, and then when the light bulb goes off, to see how excited they are about learning,” Young said.

Shane Baker, representing Warren County, said he teaches at a high-need school with a vulnerable population and he stays because he believes he’s helping others.

“I think we’re all here because we believe we’re doing something positive in our local communities,” Baker said.

Another question asks what teachers wish people in the community knew about teaching. Megan Hall, representing Letcher County, said she wished parents or guardians knew the obstacles some students must overcome to read or do math. She said some students don’t have their basic needs met, which makes it difficult for them to learn.

“I have a 5th grader and he doesn’t have power or water and it’s 20 degrees outside,” Hall said. “Before he is ever in the classroom to learn to read or get what he needs, we’re making sure he gets a warm bath and he’s clean. … I think parents sometimes get upset that we don’t have time for a phone call or we’re not doing something. But when I have a kid who hasn’t had a warm meal since last Friday and needs a bath, that’s my primary concern and the rest will come later.”

Kristen Morgan, representing Danville Independent, said she wished the community could see all the life skills they have to teach students that are not being taught at home.

When asked about a moment they’ll never forget in the classroom, Emmanuel Anama-Green of Harlan County said he’ll never forget the real world connections that students make with other countries. Since he teaches at a rural school in eastern Kentucky, his students are excited when they get to connect with students so far away through teleconferences and Zoom meetings.

In response to what council members would tell a future teacher, Young said it’s important that teachers take care of themselves and take steps to prevent burnout. Baker said teachers should embrace their own unique talents and not try to imitate other teachers too much.

The last question Gilbert asked was what support leadership teams or administration could provide to make schools the best place to work.

Chad Davidson of McCracken County said teachers need more resources, more funding and to utilize retired teachers to help support current teachers. He also said teachers could use more time to reflect and plan and not have to participate in professional learning communities every week.

“We need more meaningful professional development, not just a check box to say we did it, but something that we can use immediately in our classroom and after the professional development,” Young said. “Someone there to support whatever the initiative is or whatever the skill is that we were learning.”

Mandy Perez of Crittenden County said if administrators add new responsibilities for teachers, they should take something else off their plate.

Gilbert asked council members what they thought of the survey and how they hope results can be used. Hall said she thinks the survey is good, but she wants to see the survey results go toward tangible efforts to make real change.

Young agreed, saying she thinks results should go to legislators who are making changes in the teaching profession.

Meredith Brewer, KDE associate commissioner in the Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness, explained that this effort is part of a larger initiative that the Education Professional Standards Board and the Kentucky Board of Education have engaged in that they’re calling a research practice collaborative.

Members of both boards, as well as constituents from the education community, will be engaging in research questions about teacher attrition, working conditions and how to improve conditions for teachers.

“Our hope is that those two bodies that do have administrative authority to implement changes can bring forward some recommendations based on this research and other research we’re doing in this space so that you can hopefully see change being driven as a part of your contributions,” Brewer said.

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