Teacher Workforce Ecosystem

The future of educator preparation in your state starts here.

We Support Statewide Work!

The National Center for Teacher Residencies facilitates a Policy-to-Practice Site Visit in Minnesota in October 2025. Rows of people stand in front of a presentation screen titled MN Policy to Practice Site Visit. — The National Center for Teacher Residencies facilitates a Policy-to-Practice Site Visit in Minnesota in October 2025.

Across the country, states are facing growing teacher shortages, uneven educator preparation pathways, and increasing demands on schools and districts. The solution requires more than isolated programs—it requires a connected, statewide ecosystem designed to prepare, support, and retain effective educators.

The Teacher Workforce Ecosystem is a strategic initiative from NCTR that helps states align educator preparation policies, school district practices, and workforce strategies to create sustainable, future-ready teacher pipelines.

Built on NCTR’s IMPACT Framework, this initiative brings together state education agencies, educator preparation programs, school districts, and community partners to strengthen educator preparation systems and improve outcomes for teachers and students alike.

NCTR’s IMPACT Framework is a collaborative approach that helps states and partners design, implement, refine, and scale effective educator workforce strategies.

View the Framework

Why Statewide Alignment Matters

When educator preparation policies and on-the-ground practices are aligned, every part of the system works toward a shared vision for preparing high-quality teachers who remain in the profession long term.

Without alignment, educator workforce efforts often become fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to sustain. With alignment, states can:

Strengthen teacher recruitment and retention
Improve educator preparation quality
Expand high-quality teacher residency and registered apprenticeship pathways
Create sustainable teacher workforce pipelines
Foster stronger collaboration between policymakers and practitioners
Ensure educators are prepared to meet the evolving needs of students and communities

The Teacher Workforce Ecosystem transforms disconnected efforts into a coordinated strategy for long-term educator workforce success.

Who We Serve in This Work

The Teacher Workforce Ecosystem is ideal for states and organizations seeking to:

Address teacher shortages

Create access to well-prepared educators

Improve educator retention

Expand access to teacher residency pathways

Build cross-sector partnerships

Strengthen educator preparation systems

Align policy to practice

Develop workforce strategies that are sustainable

Our Support Includes…

Strategic
Planning

Strategic planning and facilitation with workforce ecosystem mapping and stakeholder engagement

Alignment

Navigating the connection between policy and practice to advance high-quality teacher preparation pathways

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance and implementation support for teacher residency and apprenticeship expansion

Data-Informed Improvement

Data-informed improvement strategies meant to support sustainability and scaling of teacher preparation pathways

Strengthen Your Statewide Teacher Workforce Ecosystem

Since 2007, NCTR has served as the leading national organization advancing teacher residencies and strengthening educator preparation systems across the country. Our work is grounded in collaboration, continuous improvement, and long-term impact. We help states and partners move from short-term solutions to sustainable transformation of the educator workforce. By leveraging nearly two decades of experience, research, and national partnerships, NCTR helps states build educator workforce ecosystems that are resilient, effective, and future-focused.