03/11/25
Enlisting Talent: Introducing The Gateway Teaching Fellowship
St. Louis is facing a critical teacher shortage, with retention rates steadily declining and schools struggling to fill vacancies. The Gateway Teaching Fellowship (GTF), an initiative of The Opportunity Trust, is designed to rebuild the local teacher pipeline by recruiting, training, and retaining talented recent college graduates committed to public service. Unlike traditional pathways, GTF provides an accelerated pathway to teaching in aligned schools committed to new teacher development, along with financial incentives for performance and retention. This first year pilot is testing whether the right placement, support, and incentives can help re-engage public service-minded graduates in the field of education while providing desperately needed talent for schools.
A Growing Crisis: The Urgent Need for a Stronger Teacher Pipeline
St. Louis schools are facing a worsening teacher shortage, creating instability in classrooms and making it harder for students to receive consistent, high-quality instruction. While teacher retention has been a statewide issue, new data from the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year suggests that retention rates in local education agencies (LEAs), which include school districts and individual schools, within the St. Louis region are significantly lower than Missouri’s overall teacher retention rate of 88.1% in 2021-2022.
Among the schools reporting teacher retention rates, local data shows an estimated average retention rate of 73% in the region, meaning nearly one in four teachers left their position before the school year began. Some schools reported retention rates as low as 47%, underscoring the critical need for systemic solutions to improve teacher support and retention.
This turnover has real consequences for students. In some schools, vacancies are filled with long-term substitutes who often lack formal teacher training, leaving students without experienced educators. The shortage is particularly severe in elementary education, special education, and early childhood education, where schools struggle the most to hire and retain teachers.
The challenge is compounded by the declining number of people entering the profession. Meanwhile, alternative certification pathways, once a critical source of new teachers, are seeing declines in completion rates, with fewer candidates finishing these programs despite increased enrollment.
With retention rates well below sustainable levels and fewer new teachers entering the field, St. Louis faces an urgent need for innovative approaches to recruit, train, and retain talent into the field of education.
A Strategic Solution: The Gateway Teaching Fellowship
In response to the growing teacher shortage, The Opportunity Trust has launched the Gateway Teaching Fellowship (GTF) as a pilot program to explore new ways of attracting, preparing, and retaining teachers in St. Louis classrooms. This initiative is designed to test whether placing educators in schools with strong support structures—combined with financial incentives—can help rebuild interest in the profession while addressing critical staffing shortages.
By piloting this approach, we aim to learn what works, refine our model, and share our findings with the broader education community. We believe that targeted investments in teacher support and retention could provide a scalable solution to the ongoing crisis, and we are eager to engage educators, policymakers, and community members in this important conversation.
“When I think back to my first year of teaching, I’m not sure I would have stayed a teacher outside of my commitment without the coaching and development,” said Liz Valero, Chief of Schools for Momentum Academy. “Having a coach and a cohort of other new teachers was integral to my success, my sense of belonging, and my ultimate decision to stay in St. Louis and in education. “
What Makes GTF Different?
- Financial Incentives for Retention – Fellows can earn up to $15,000 in retention bonuses over three years.
- Supportive School Placements – Fellows are placed in schools committed to continuous improvement and strong teacher development, ensuring they receive the mentorship and resources needed to succeed.
- Immediate Classroom Leadership – Fellows are hired as full-time teachers in select schools while simultaneously working to complete credentialing.
- Pathway to Certification & a Master’s Degree – Fellows can earn a teaching credential while gaining hands-on experience.
This pilot is not just about filling vacancies; it’s about understanding what it takes to compel civic-minded young people to start out their careers in education.
Join Us in Strengthening St. Louis Classrooms
The Gateway Teaching Fellowship has the potential to transform St. Louis classrooms by ensuring that every student has access to a well-supported, committed teacher. By strengthening teacher retention, improving instructional quality, and rebuilding interest in the profession, this pilot intends to create a more stable, effective education system—one that uplifts students, strengthens communities, and fuels long-term success. This work will only succeed with the support of educators, advocates, and community partners. If you or someone you know is passionate about helping students while building a sustainable career in education, we’d love to hear from you!
To learn more about how you can support this initiative, visit gatewayfellows.org. Together, we can reshape the future of education in St. Louis—one great teacher at a time.