By Dr. Jamie Nutter
In every conversation about student success, we must remember that empowered teachers are the foundation. Yet across Wisconsin and beyond, we are seeing a quiet erosion in one of the most critical pillars of educational excellence…professional development.
At one point, Wisconsin required educators to complete six credits every five years to renew their license. While not perfect, that requirement ensured ongoing growth. Now, with that mandate removed, there is no systemwide guarantee that professional learning is happening. That’s more than a missed opportunity... it is a long-term risk.
We don’t need more compliance. We need more investment.
The Need for Continuous Growth
Teaching never stands still. Students evolve. Expectations shift. Technology advances. Teachers are natural learners. They are wired to grow. But without time, support, and intentional opportunities to develop, even the best educators can hit a wall.
Effective professional development does more than deliver new ideas... it sharpens practice, builds confidence, and reminds educators they are not alone in facing today’s challenges. Research from the Learning Policy Institute shows that sustained, high-quality professional learning leads to student achievement gains as high as 21 percentile points.
It Must Be Relevant
Today’s professional learning must be useful and timely. Teachers do not need one more generic training. They need coaching, collaboration, and practical tools that meet them where they are.
Artificial intelligence is one of those tools. Teachers are beginning to use AI to customize lessons, provide feedback, draft communications, and reduce the workload that eats into evenings and weekends. With the right training, AI can support both instruction and teacher wellness. But it takes time to learn it... and trust it.
Retention and Growth Are Connected
Professional learning is not just about helping teachers improve—it is also about helping them stay. Research backs this up.
The RAND Corporation, a respected nonprofit research organization, has studied education systems across the country for decades. Originally established in 1948 to support military research, RAND has grown into a global leader in nonpartisan, evidence-based policy analysis. Their work in education focuses on real-world challenges... teacher effectiveness, school improvement, curriculum quality, and workforce stability.
In a recent study, RAND researchers surveyed public school teachers and found that teachers who reported having access to meaningful professional development were significantly more likely to stay in the profession. Conversely, those who lacked access to ongoing training were more likely to report burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intentions to leave.
The connection is simple. When teachers feel they are growing, they are more confident, more engaged, and more likely to remain in the field. When that growth is ignored... attrition rises.
RAND’s findings also pointed out that professional development linked to teachers’ specific content areas and instructional challenges had the most impact... especially when it was sustained over time, collaborative in nature, and embedded in the school’s culture.
If we want to slow the revolving door of teacher turnover, we must invest in the growth of the people already in our classrooms.
What We Can Do
Leaders must make professional growth a cultural expectation... not just a box to check. Build it into the calendar. Make it part of the budget. Celebrate the people who pursue it.
Whether it is through coaching, college coursework, AI literacy, or peer learning communities, the message must be clear... growth is who we are.
Because when we invest in teachers, we are not just helping them. We are helping every student who walks through their classroom door.
Dr. Jamie Nutter is CESA 3’s Agency Administrator.