By Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills
More experienced teachers are more likely to meet their lesson aims, according to data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and other research. So, imagine a world where the most experienced, older teachers work in the most challenging classrooms. Where seasoned educators teach students with the toughest social and academic prospects.
The concept makes sense. And in many countries assessed by TALIS, there is a relative balance. However, in certain education systems, young teachers aged under 30 disproportionately report working in the most demanding classroom environments. In comparison, older, more experienced teachers often seem to get the opportunity to work in less challenging schools.
TALIS data reveal some especially large gaps. For example, in Bahrain, Colombia, Israel and United Arab Emirates, the share of teachers under 30 who report working with students with language difficulties is 15 percentage points higher than that of their older colleagues. Younger teachers are also more likely to say they work with students presenting special education needs in 15 out of 53 systems surveyed by TALIS. The gap is largest in the Netherlands*, where 73% of younger teachers report teaching classes with a high share of students with special needs – 19 percentage points higher than their older colleagues.
A similar pattern is observed for behavioural problems. In most education systems, younger teachers are significantly more likely than older colleagues to report that over 10% of their students have antisocial or disruptive behaviour. The difference is 25 percentage points in Latvia and Portugal. However, one interpretation of the data could be that older teachers are better equipped to handle bad behaviour, so report it as less of an issue.
These disparities not only negatively affect young teachers, but also students, and ultimately the entire education system more broadly. Younger, inexperienced teachers are more likely to be confronted with challenging classrooms during a period when they are still developing their class management skills and confidence. Almost one in three novice teachers report needing training focused on classroom management, on average, more than the share of experienced teachers. On top of this, new teachers will sometimes have to operate with limited support systems. These circumstances increase the odds of young teachers burning out or abandoning the profession altogether. In turn, students in demanding classrooms, who are already disadvantaged by circumstance, may see their teachers struggle or quit. This inevitably creates a cycle of instability and undermines long-term strategies to improve educational outcomes.
This mismatch between the complexity of teaching contexts and the preparedness of new teachers underlines the need for smart deployment strategies and targeted support. So what can policymakers do? Some countries offer compelling policy ideas. In Japan, for example, teachers are expected to rotate schools throughout their careers. This is to ensure that all schools have access to effective teachers and a balance of experienced and novice teachers. In Korea, a mandatory rotation system requires teachers to move to a different school every five years. Incentives – such as extra pay, smaller classes and the ability to choose the next school where one works – are also used to attract skilled educators to the most challenging schools. Pairing high- and low-performing schools can also be beneficial. In Shanghai, for example, the “empowered management programme” allows teachers and school leaders from both types of schools to work together, including observing classes and discussing effective practices.
Many OECD countries have brought in targeted financial incentives to encourage teachers to work in schools perceived as more difficult working environments. These “pay rewards”, if well designed, can help encourage teachers to work in tougher schools and can be more cost efficient than across-the-board salary incentives. However, while bonuses and salary increases may draw teachers to hard-to-staff schools, they do not guarantee retention or sustained performance.
More effective strategies tend to combine career incentives with robust support mechanisms. For example, offering accelerated career progression, leadership opportunities or access to advanced professional development can be more motivating than financial rewards. Policymakers need to rethink how they organise schools and empower educators. They must also not neglect the basics: developing a positive work environment and providing sufficient resources, supportive leadership and collaboration among staff. All of these have been shown to boost teacher satisfaction and retention.
Countries like New Zealand* and Singapore have introduced differentiated career tracks that allow teachers to advance while staying in the classroom, rather than taking on administrative roles. Other strategies, such as less class-contact time or smaller classes, are also worth considering for schools in difficult areas or that have specific education needs. Technology can also help, especially in remote or underserved regions where teacher expertise is limited. Digital platforms can bring high-quality instruction to students regardless of geography, enabling remote schools to benefit from “master teachers” through live-streamed lessons, virtual mentoring and shared digital resources.
Looking ahead, education leaders need to promote the idea that it is a smart career move for experienced teachers to work in the toughest schools. For long-term success, policymakers must go beyond attracting teachers to the profession. They need to make disadvantaged schools places where teachers feel valued, supported and rewarded. At the moment, veteran teachers sometimes gravitate toward institutions with higher academic reputations, better resources and lighter workloads. Without greater incentives, that situation is not going to change.
*Estimates should be interpreted with caution due to higher risk of non-response bias.
This is part of a series of blogs focused on results from the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024: The State of Teaching. TALIS is the world’s largest international survey about teachers and school leaders. Conducted by the OECD, in 2024 it sampled about 280 000 lower secondary teachers in 17 000 schools across 55 education systems. Lower secondary teachers typically teach students up until their mid-teens. The series of blogs are based on chapters in the TALIS 2024 Insights and Interpretations brochure: Support Materials – Results from TALIS Starting Strong 2024 | OECD
