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Though small rural districts throughout the country are struggling to hire and retain quality teachers, the Roanoke Rapids (NC) school system has managed to cut its 13 percent turnover rate in half, thanks to some innovative measures enacted by Superintendent John Parker. In this district of just 3,000 students, 13 percent of teachers have received their National Board certification, compared to just 1 percent of all teachers nationwide. It's just one example of how the district encourages and supports educators in their drive to improve and reinvigorate their classroom practices. Parker's emphasis on putting learning ahead of high-stakes assessment also wins a lot of hearts and mind--and a lot of teacher recruits. "We think, in this day and age, that sets us apart," Parker says. "Are you trying to tell me that a test knows more than a teacher who has worked with that kid for 180 days?" Read "Greener Pastures" at the Teacher Magazine/Education Week website. You may need to go through free registration.

Buchanan, B. (2005) Green Pastures. Teacher Magazine/Education Week.  Retrieved April 30, 2008 from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2005/03/01/05greener.h16.html

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