The early years of teaching are among the most important and challenging in an educator's career. Without meaningful support, many new teachers leave the profession before they have the opportunity to develop and grow.

For schools and districts, educator turnover impacts instructional continuity, student learning experiences, and recruitment investments.

Providing structured support early helps educators build the skills, confidence, and professional connections needed to succeed.

The primary driver of teacher retention is not salary but supportive relationships and collaborative workplace culture, according to a multi-year longitudinal study highlighted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education in The Reasons Teachers Stay by Doug Larkin and Suzanne Poole Patzelt.

The Early Career Educator Academy helps new teachers navigate their first years through cohort-based learning, reflection, collaboration, and classroom application.

Participants gain practical strategies, rooted in the AVID Foundations of Instruction™, that can be implemented immediately, including:

Supporting early-career educators benefits the entire school system.

When districts invest in structured support, they strengthen existing onboarding efforts while creating a consistent foundation for instructional growth.

Why Districts Are Investing in Early-Career Educators

Districts use the Early Career Educator Academy to:

• Support educator retention and long-term success.
• Strengthen induction and onboarding programs.
• Promote high-quality instructional practices.
• Build a culture of continuous professional learning.
• Create more consistent student learning experiences.

District and school leaders play a critical role in helping new educators grow, build confidence, and remain in the profession. Early Career Educator Academy is designed to complement and strengthen the support structures districts already have in place, not replace them.

As educators progress through the Academy, leaders gain visibility into key learning themes and access to practical resources that help reinforce growth through observations, coaching conversations, and ongoing support. This creates stronger alignment between the professional learning experience and the day-to-day support educators receive in their schools.

Leader resources include:

• Observation Guides aligned to Academy learning so leaders can recognize and reinforce emerging instructional practices.
• Coaching Conversation Prompts that support meaningful reflection and professional growth.
• Follow-Up Activities that help educators apply new learning in authentic classroom contexts.
• Shared Discussion Tools that create consistency across leaders, mentors, and support teams.

Together, these resources help leaders build a more connected and intentional support experience, ensuring new educators receive consistent encouragement, feedback, and opportunities to grow.

Getting started with a cohort is straightforward.

Step 1: Identify Your Cohort

Determine how many early-career educators would benefit from additional support. Cohorts are formed for every 25 participants. Districts are able to contract as many cohorts as needed. One AVID facilitator will work with each cohort.

Step 2: Submit an Interest Form

Complete the interest form to connect with an AVID representative and discuss scheduling, cohort size, and program options.

Step 3: Launch Your Cohort in Summer of 2027

AVID partners with your district to finalize dates, confirm participant rosters, and prepare for a successful program launch.

Learning Options

Cohort Size
Each cohort includes 25 participants.

Finalize Your Implementation Plan 
After contracting, AVID will work with your district to finalize dates, confirm participant rosters, and prepare for a successful cohort launch.