Decades of education research point to the same conclusion: teacher quality is the single most significant school-based factor influencing student achievement, more than class size, curriculum, or any other resource a school can offer. At Nashville Teacher Residency, we know that preparing great teachers only matters if those teachers stay in the classroom long enough to have that impact. Teacher turnover hurts students, disrupts schools, and costs districts time and resources they can’t afford to lose. That’s why our model is built around retention from day one: hands-on mentorship, sustained coaching, and real classroom experience that gives teachers the skills and confidence to lead their own classrooms and stay in them. The results speak for themselves. Our graduates remain in the classroom at higher rates than the national average, and they bring consistency, expertise, and deep relationships with students that only come from staying the course. When a teacher stays, students benefit from stronger instruction, stronger relationships, and a stable learning environment year after year. That stability is what drives real, lasting gains in student outcomes, and it’s why the work of preparing teachers who stay matters so much.