In 2022, school districts across the country found themselves reeling from a loss of qualified teachers in the classroom. No school model—whether a traditional ISD, charter school, or private school—was immune to the post-COVID loss of teaching talent as seasoned veterans retired and the rate of new teachers slowed. Many districts are still clawing their way back today. For a few bold innovators, it was an opportunity to lead.
Quick to respond to the growing challenge, Life School set its sights beyond just filling vacant positions. Instead, they pushed their priority of teacher quality even further—aiming to attract and keep certified teachers and grow the district’s overall average teaching experience.
How does a district achieve that goal in such a turbulent landscape? The answer lies in a bold shift to a 4-day school week.
Has it worked? The answer is a resounding ‘yes.’
The Life School Talent department tracks Average Years of Teaching Experience, and the 2-year impact is dramatic.
“In 2022, prior to the move to 4-day, the average years of teaching experience was 4,” says Hutson. “As we began our second year of 4-day in the 2024-2025 school year, that average stood at 10 years.”
In the first year of the 4-day school week, the overall average years of teacher experience rose 90%. In the second year, the overall average rose another 31%. The combined 2-year increase represents a 150% increase in average years of experience.
This is due to increased interest from experienced educators along with focused efforts from the Talent team to add even more knowledgeable educators to the Life School team. The average years of experience for new hires rose 45% in the first year and 51% this school year, for a combined increase of 77% over 2 years.
Why do average years of teaching matter? “Teachers are the most significant factor in overall student learning,” says Stephanie Colwell, Chief Talent Officer. “And, it takes a blend of both new teachers who bring excitement to the classroom—as well as experienced educators who bring a wealth of knowledge—to form teacher teams that prepare students for success.”
Not only did Life School attract experienced teachers, they retained them. The district’s teacher retention rate increased 30%.
Despite these successes—charter school operators still combat a stubborn myth. In social media “Talk” pages, it is common to see comments saying that charter schools “don’t require certified teachers.” Those comments don’t bear out compared to recruiting efforts of charter operators like Life School. As of 2024, only a small number of Life School teachers were uncertified; and those teachers were required to be actively pursuing certification.
“What people often forget,” says Hutson, is that “Charter schools are subject to the same performance standards as traditional ISDs. So, it makes sense that we would focus on attracting top talent to our classrooms.”
Not only do the majority of Life School teachers hold certifications, many hold or are pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees.
“It is no wonder,” says Colwell, “that so many of our teachers were awarded the Teacher Incentive Allotment by the state of Texas. We are proud of these dedicated teachers who put in the hard work to make sure our students succeed while also demonstrating what it means to be a lifelong learner.”
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Life School is a tuition-free, public charter school with campuses in Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Mountain Creek, Red Oak, Oak Cliff and Waxahachie, TX. Life School develops leaders with life skills through strong academics, character training, and partnerships with parents and the community. Its mission is accomplished in part through the financial support of donors who provide scholarships and embrace making students ready to learn, ready to lead and ready for life.
Parents who are interested in enrollment can visit lifeschool.net/learn-about-life. Partners who would like to support Life School financially can give online at lifeschool.net/give.
