How to Improve Teacher Retention Rates: Actionable Strategies

Oct 7

20 min read

By the time a resignation letter lands on your desk, it’s often too late. The decision to leave was likely made months earlier, fueled by a series of small frustrations that grew into insurmountable challenges. A truly effective retention strategy is proactive, not reactive. It’s about building a supportive foundation from day one, creating a school culture where teachers feel heard, respected, and professionally fulfilled long before they ever start looking elsewhere. If you want to know how to improve teacher retention rates, the work begins now. It’s in the daily interactions, the systems you build, and the clear message you send that you are invested in their long-term success.

Key Takeaways

Prioritize a Supportive Culture Over Quick Fixes
: A positive school environment is your best retention tool. Build it by providing consistent administrative support, establishing clear communication channels, and genuinely recognizing your staff's hard work to create a place where educators feel respected.
Create Clear Pathways for Professional Growth
: Show teachers they have a future in your district by moving beyond one-off trainings. Invest in structured mentorship, personalized professional development, and leadership roles that allow experienced educators to advance their careers without leaving the classroom.
Turn Teacher Feedback into Meaningful Action
: Stop guessing what your staff needs and start asking. Use confidential surveys to gather honest input, and then close the loop by communicating the specific, tangible changes you're making based on what you learned.

Why Good Teachers Leave (And How You Can Keep Them)

When a great teacher leaves, the loss is felt far beyond their empty classroom. It impacts student learning, places a heavier burden on the remaining staff, and costs the district significant time and money in recruitment and training. To build a stable, effective team, we first have to get honest about why teachers are walking away. It’s rarely about a single issue; more often, it’s a combination of factors that build up over time until leaving feels like the only option.

Understanding these root causes is the first step toward creating a school environment where teachers don't just stay—they thrive. It’s about moving beyond temporary fixes and building a sustainable culture of support. By addressing the core challenges head-on, you can create a place where educators feel valued, respected, and empowered to do their best work. This section breaks down the most common reasons good teachers leave and sets the stage for the actionable strategies you can use to keep them.

What Causes Teacher Burnout?

Teacher burnout is more than just feeling tired after a long week. It’s a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, often coupled with a sense of detachment and a feeling of being ineffective. Many educators enter the profession with immense passion, but they're often met with overwhelming demands and limited resources. When teachers consistently face unreasonable expectations without adequate support, their passion can quickly fade into frustration. This isn't a personal failure; it's a systemic problem that requires a systemic solution. Addressing burnout means looking at workloads, providing mental health resources, and ensuring teachers have the tools they need to succeed without sacrificing their well-being.

How the Work Environment Affects Morale

A school's culture can make or break a teacher's experience. When the environment is positive and collaborative, teachers feel energized and connected. But when it’s isolating or unsupportive, morale plummets. Many teachers who leave the profession report feeling consistently undervalued and unsupported by their administration and community. A healthy work environment is built on trust, respect, and open communication. It’s a place where teachers feel safe to ask for help, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to school-wide decisions. Without this foundation, even the most dedicated educators will eventually look for a workplace where they feel their contributions are truly seen and appreciated.

The Critical Need for Administrative Support

Effective leadership is one of the most significant factors in teacher retention. Administrators set the tone for the entire school, and their support—or lack thereof—has a direct impact on a teacher's daily life. Meaningful support goes beyond an open-door policy. It involves providing clear, consistent feedback that focuses on growth, not just evaluation. It means actively listening to teacher concerns and working collaboratively to find solutions. By using structured frameworks for observation and feedback, you can ensure that your support is both meaningful and consistent, helping teachers develop their skills and feel confident in their roles.

Why Work-Life Balance Matters

The idea that teachers work from bell to bell is a myth. The reality is a schedule filled with lesson planning, grading, parent communication, and staff meetings that extend long after students have gone home. When this workload becomes unmanageable, it erodes personal time and leads to exhaustion. Many teachers feel they can’t protect their own well-being, making other professions with better hours and benefits look increasingly attractive. As a leader, you can help by protecting teachers' planning time, streamlining administrative tasks, and promoting a culture where it’s okay to disconnect and recharge. A healthy work-life balance isn't a perk; it's essential for long-term sustainability in a demanding profession.

Build a Supportive School Culture

A positive school culture is the bedrock of teacher retention. When teachers feel connected, heard, and valued, they’re not just more effective in the classroom—they’re also more likely to stay for the long haul. Building this kind of environment doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional effort from leadership to create a space where every staff member feels like a crucial part of the team. From fostering peer relationships to prioritizing mental health, every action you take contributes to a culture that either drains your teachers or sustains them.

Foster Strong Teacher Communities

Teachers, like students, do their best work when they feel a sense of belonging. Fostering strong professional communities is one of the most powerful things you can do to support your staff. This goes beyond the occasional staff potluck. It means intentionally creating time and space for teachers to collaborate, share challenges, and learn from one another. When educators feel connected to their colleagues and supported by their leaders, they're more engaged and more likely to stay. Good leaders and strong support systems are crucial for keeping teachers happy. Listening to your team and understanding their needs is the foundation of a community where everyone can thrive.

Establish Clear Communication Channels

Feeling heard is fundamental to job satisfaction. If teachers feel like they’re shouting into the void, their morale will plummet. Establishing clear, consistent communication channels is essential for building trust. This means creating reliable systems for feedback, whether through anonymous surveys, regular town halls, or a simple open-door policy. The most critical step, however, is closing the loop. It’s not enough to just listen; you have to act on their feedback and communicate the changes you’re making. When teachers see their input leads to real improvements, they become more invested in the school’s success and feel valued as professionals whose expertise matters.

Recognize and Appreciate Your Staff

Everyone wants to know their hard work is noticed. A culture of appreciation can transform a school's atmosphere, but it has to be more than a line in an end-of-year speech. Make recognition a consistent and visible practice. You can create a dedicated space, like a bulletin board or a digital channel, where staff can give public shout-outs to their colleagues for their great work. Simple, specific, and timely praise from administrators can also make a huge difference. Acknowledging a teacher’s effort on a challenging project or celebrating a classroom success shows you’re paying attention. These small, consistent acts build a positive environment where people feel seen and valued for their contributions.

Prioritize Wellness and Mental Health

The demands on teachers are immense, and ignoring their mental health is a direct path to burnout. Prioritizing wellness means creating a culture where it’s okay to talk about stress and self-care. You can start by facilitating conversations where teachers can share their self-care goals and the challenges they face in meeting them. Providing access to mental health resources is a great step, but so is protecting their time by setting reasonable expectations for work outside of contract hours. As the National Education Association points out, strong support, especially for early-career educators, is vital. When teachers feel their well-being is a genuine priority, they are better equipped to show up for their students and themselves.

Lead with Impact to Support Your Staff

Effective leadership is one of the most powerful tools you have for keeping great teachers. When educators feel seen, heard, and supported by their administration, they’re more invested in their roles and more likely to stick around through challenges. It’s not about grand gestures, but about the consistent, daily actions that show you’re in their corner. Leading with impact means creating systems that empower your staff, providing clear pathways for growth, and actively listening to their needs. By focusing on these foundational elements, you can build a school environment where teachers don't just survive—they thrive.

Develop Reliable Support Systems

Teachers need to know they have a safety net. A reliable support system goes beyond an open-door policy; it involves creating structured, predictable channels for assistance and feedback. When teachers feel supported by their administration and colleagues, they are far more likely to remain in their positions. This means providing clear guidance, being available to troubleshoot problems, and ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom. Using consistent teaching frameworks for evaluations and feedback is a great way to make support feel fair and predictable, rather than random. It shows teachers you’re invested in their success and are providing a clear roadmap for them to follow.

Create a Structured Mentorship Program

Pairing new teachers with experienced mentors is a classic strategy, but its success hinges on structure. A well-designed mentorship program benefits everyone involved. For new teachers, it provides an essential lifeline for navigating the first few challenging years. For veteran educators, it’s an opportunity for leadership that doesn’t require leaving the classroom. As NIET notes, when experienced teachers become mentors, they build their own instructional and leadership skills, which enhances their own professional growth. This creates a positive cycle where expertise is shared, and your best teachers are given a meaningful way to advance their careers while strengthening the entire team.

Implement Meaningful, Regular Check-ins

Annual evaluations are important, but they shouldn’t be the only time you’re having substantive conversations with your staff. Meaningful, regular check-ins are crucial for taking the pulse of your school’s culture and addressing small issues before they become big problems. Understanding what teachers think and feel through simple surveys or informal conversations is a powerful way to improve retention. These touchpoints create opportunities to listen, show you value their input, and foster a culture of open communication. When teachers know their voice is heard and their concerns are taken seriously, they feel more respected and connected to the school community.

Manage and Distribute Resources Fairly

Few things erode morale faster than the perception of unfairness. This applies to everything from classroom supplies and planning time to salaries and professional development opportunities. Ensuring that resources are managed and distributed equitably is a critical leadership function. This includes advocating for competitive pay that rewards experience and professional training, but it also means making sure every teacher has fair access to the tools they need to do their job well. When your staff sees that decisions are made transparently and fairly, it builds trust and reinforces the sense that everyone is a valued member of the team.

Launch a Mentoring Program That Works

A strong mentorship program is one of the most powerful tools you have for retaining new teachers. When new educators feel supported, guided, and connected, they’re far more likely to navigate the challenges of their first few years and grow into confident, long-term members of your staff. But an effective program is more than just pairing a new teacher with a veteran. It requires a thoughtful, intentional structure that supports both the mentor and the mentee.

Simply telling an experienced teacher to "check in on the new hire" isn't a strategy—it's a gamble. A successful program provides clear expectations, dedicated time, and relevant training. It transforms mentorship from an informal favor into a respected professional role. By investing in a structured program, you’re not just helping new teachers survive; you’re creating a culture of collaboration and professional growth that benefits the entire school. The following steps will help you build a mentoring program that actually makes a difference.

Design a Sustainable Mentorship Structure

The first step is to define what mentorship looks like in your district. Without clear guidelines, you risk creating a system where mentors, who are often full-time teachers themselves, face muddied professional roles and potential burnout. Start by outlining the specific responsibilities of a mentor. What is their time commitment? What are the goals of the partnership?

Create a formal structure that respects everyone’s time. This might include providing release time for mentors to observe their mentees, scheduling dedicated meeting periods, or offering a stipend for their work. When you formalize the role, you signal its importance and ensure that mentorship activities don't get pushed aside by other pressing duties. This clarity helps everyone involved understand their role and contributes to a more sustainable and effective program.

Train and Support Your Mentors

Being an excellent teacher doesn’t automatically make someone an excellent mentor. Mentoring requires a distinct set of skills, like active listening, providing constructive feedback, and coaching for instructional improvement. That’s why it’s critical to provide your mentors with high-quality training and ongoing support. While many states have requirements, you can go further to ensure the quality of training for mentors is truly effective.

Your training should equip mentors with the tools they need to guide new teachers through common challenges, from classroom management to lesson planning. Offer workshops on coaching techniques, using observational frameworks to guide feedback, and facilitating reflective conversations. Just as importantly, create a support system for the mentors themselves—a space where they can share challenges, collaborate with other mentors, and continue to hone their own skills.

Set Up a System for Regular Support Meetings

Consistency is key to a successful mentoring relationship. Instead of leaving meetings to chance, establish a predictable schedule for check-ins. This structure ensures that new teachers have regular, dedicated time to ask questions, share concerns, and receive guidance. These meetings should be more than just casual chats; they should be focused sessions centered on instructional improvement and professional growth.

Set an agenda or use a guiding framework to keep conversations productive. You might focus on an upcoming lesson, review student work, or discuss a specific classroom management strategy. This approach moves the conversation from simply venting about challenges to actively developing solutions. A regular meeting rhythm builds trust and provides a reliable support system that new teachers can count on as they find their footing.

Overcome Common Mentoring Hurdles

Two of the biggest obstacles to effective mentoring are a shortage of qualified mentors and poor mentor-mentee pairings. Be proactive in addressing these challenges. To build your pool of mentors, identify experienced teachers who demonstrate leadership potential and a passion for helping others grow. Create a simple application or nomination process to formalize their entry into the program.

When it comes to pairing, look beyond convenience. While placing teachers in the same hallway might be easy, it’s more important that new teachers are matched effectively with mentors based on relevant criteria. Consider factors like grade level, subject area, and even teaching philosophy to create a partnership with the best chance of success. A thoughtful match can make all the difference in a new teacher’s experience.

Evaluate Your Program's Effectiveness

How do you know if your mentoring program is working? You have to measure it. Regularly evaluating your program is essential for understanding its impact and identifying areas for improvement. The goal is to create a continuous feedback loop that helps your program evolve and better meet the needs of your teachers. Start by measuring the effectiveness of your program through a few key data points.

Collect feedback from both mentors and mentees through confidential surveys or focus groups. Ask about the quality of the training, the usefulness of the meetings, and the overall strength of the mentoring relationship. Most importantly, track the retention rates of teachers who participate in the program. This data will give you clear insights into what’s working and what needs to be adjusted, ensuring your investment in mentorship pays off in teacher retention.

Offer Professional Development That Truly Helps

Generic, one-size-fits-all professional development is a major reason teachers feel their time isn’t respected. When you offer training that doesn't connect to their daily challenges or career goals, it feels like just another box to check. To truly support your staff and encourage them to stay, you need to provide professional learning that is relevant, personalized, and ongoing.

Investing in meaningful growth opportunities shows teachers you see them as professionals and are committed to their success. By connecting professional development directly to observation feedback and individual goals, you create a powerful cycle of improvement. This approach not only helps teachers refine their craft but also makes them feel valued and understood, which is a cornerstone of a strong retention strategy. When teachers see that you’re invested in them, they’re more likely to invest in your school.

Provide Tailored Learning Paths

Move away from the traditional "sit-and-get" professional development model and toward personalized learning journeys. Every teacher has unique strengths and areas for growth, and their professional learning should reflect that. Use data from classroom observations and self-assessments to help teachers identify specific goals, then connect them with resources that meet their needs. Districts that invest in personalized professional learning not only support their teachers more effectively but also report higher retention rates. When you give teachers a say in their own development, you empower them to take ownership of their growth and build a deeper commitment to their work.

Offer Ongoing Coaching and Feedback

Annual evaluations are important, but they shouldn't be the only time teachers receive meaningful feedback. Create a culture of continuous improvement by offering ongoing instructional coaching and peer support. A coach can provide non-evaluative feedback, model new strategies, and serve as a thinking partner, helping teachers navigate challenges in real time. This kind of consistent, supportive dialogue builds trust and competence. In fact, an overwhelming 84% of superintendents who prioritize coaching see better retention outcomes in their districts. Regular, constructive feedback helps teachers feel supported rather than scrutinized, fostering an environment where everyone is focused on growth.

Create Opportunities to Enhance Skills

Beyond mandatory training, provide a rich menu of opportunities for teachers to deepen their expertise. This could include workshops on new instructional technologies, book studies on culturally responsive teaching, or funding to attend subject-specific conferences. The key is to offer choices that align with both school-wide initiatives and individual teacher interests. To ensure these opportunities are effective, it's important to gather feedback and track their impact on classroom practice. When you measure training effectiveness and use that data to refine your programs, you create a partnership in growth and show teachers that their professional learning is a priority.

Develop Future Leaders from Within

Retaining your most experienced teachers is critical, and one of the best ways to do that is by creating leadership roles that don't require them to leave the classroom. When you invite veteran educators to become mentors, instructional coaches, or department leads, you validate their expertise and give them a new way to make an impact. These roles provide a meaningful career path for teachers who want to grow professionally while continuing to work directly with students. As they guide their colleagues, these teacher leaders also build their own instructional and leadership skills, which strengthens the entire school community and creates a sustainable culture of in-house expertise.

Measure the Impact of Your PD

How do you know if your professional development efforts are actually making a difference in teacher satisfaction and retention? You have to ask. Implement regular, anonymous surveys to gather honest feedback on the quality and relevance of your PD offerings. Ask teachers what’s working, what isn’t, and what they need more of. This data is invaluable for making informed decisions and showing your staff that their voices matter. Using surveys to understand teacher experiences can provide clear, data-backed strategies to retain teachers and help you refine your approach. When you close the feedback loop, you demonstrate a genuine commitment to creating a supportive and effective learning environment for everyone.

Create Clear Paths for Career Growth

When teachers can’t see a future for themselves in your district, they start looking for one elsewhere. Creating clear, attainable paths for career advancement is one of the most powerful ways to encourage your best educators to stay. Growth doesn't always mean leaving the classroom for an administrative role. It can mean taking on new leadership responsibilities, deepening expertise in a specific area, or simply being recognized and compensated for their experience and skill.

A well-defined career lattice shows teachers you’re invested in their long-term success. It gives them tangible goals to work toward and a reason to commit to your school community. When you combine professional development with clear opportunities for advancement, you create a culture where teachers feel supported and motivated to build their careers with you. This is about more than just filling positions; it’s about cultivating the talent you already have and building a stronger, more stable faculty for the future. A platform that connects evaluations to professional learning can help you identify and prepare your next generation of leaders.

Offer Competitive Compensation

Let’s start with the foundation: fair and competitive pay. While teachers are driven by passion, they also deserve to be compensated in a way that reflects their expertise and dedication. A pay system that starts strong, rewards professional training, and increases consistently throughout a teacher's career is essential. If your salaries aren't competitive with neighboring districts, you're fighting an uphill battle from the start.

Think beyond just the starting salary. Review your entire compensation structure to ensure it rewards loyalty and growth. Are there clear, achievable milestones for pay increases? Do you offer stipends for additional certifications or advanced degrees? According to the National Education Association, a competitive and transparent pay scale is a critical factor in retaining educators for the long haul.

Establish Clear Advancement Programs

Many talented teachers leave the classroom because they feel their career has hit a ceiling. You can prevent this by creating leadership roles that allow them to grow professionally while staying connected to students. Positions like instructional coaches, department heads, or mentor teachers give your veteran educators a chance to share their expertise and lead their peers.

These roles should be clearly defined, come with additional pay, and be seen as a genuine step forward. When you establish these types of advancement programs, you’re sending a clear message: we value your experience, and we want you to grow with us. This not only helps retain your best teachers but also strengthens your entire instructional team by building leadership capacity from within.

Recognize Performance and Growth

Feeling seen and appreciated can make all the difference in a teacher's job satisfaction. Meaningful recognition goes beyond a "teacher of the month" award; it's about providing regular, specific, and positive feedback that acknowledges a teacher's hard work and progress. When educators feel that their efforts are noticed by administrators, they are more likely to feel connected to the school and committed to its success.

Incorporate recognition into your regular routine. Acknowledge high-performing teachers in staff meetings, send a personalized email highlighting a recent success, or simply stop by their classroom to offer a word of encouragement. As research from TNTP shows, consistent, positive acknowledgment is a low-cost, high-impact strategy for making teachers feel valued and motivated to stay.

Incentivize Professional Growth

When you invest in your teachers' professional growth, you're investing in your school's future. Districts that provide robust mentoring, coaching, and personalized professional learning don't just see better student outcomes—they also report higher retention rates. Teachers are lifelong learners, and they want to work in a place that supports their desire to improve their craft.

Offer professional development that is relevant, ongoing, and connected to their individual goals. When teachers can see a direct link between their learning and their effectiveness in the classroom, they are more engaged. Furthermore, by tying professional growth to opportunities for career advancement or salary increases, you create a powerful incentive for teachers to continue developing their skills within your district. This shows them you’re a partner in their professional journey.

Use Data to Guide Your Retention Strategy

Guessing what your teachers need is a recipe for failed initiatives and wasted resources. A data-driven retention strategy, on the other hand, allows you to move from assumptions to action. By systematically collecting and analyzing feedback, you can pinpoint the root causes of turnover, identify what’s working well, and make informed decisions that have a real impact on your school’s culture and your teachers’ careers.

Using data helps you understand the specific challenges your staff faces, whether it’s a lack of resources, a need for more planning time, or a desire for stronger leadership support. It also provides a baseline to measure the success of your retention efforts over time. When you can show tangible improvements based on teacher feedback, you build trust and demonstrate a genuine commitment to creating a supportive work environment. This proactive approach transforms retention from a reactive scramble to a strategic, ongoing process of improvement.

Design Surveys That Get Real Answers

To truly understand what your teachers are experiencing, you need to ask the right questions. Effective surveys go beyond simple satisfaction ratings to uncover the nuances of their daily work lives. Understanding what teachers think and feel is the first step toward building a strategy that actually works. Instead of asking generic questions, focus on specific areas like administrative support, professional development opportunities, school culture, and work-life balance. Use a mix of multiple-choice and open-ended questions to gather both quantitative data and rich, qualitative insights. The goal is to create a survey that feels like a conversation, inviting honest reflection rather than just checking a box.

Implement a Confidential Feedback System

Honesty is essential for actionable feedback, and confidentiality is the key to honesty. Teachers are far more likely to share their true thoughts and concerns if they feel safe from any potential backlash. Implementing a confidential feedback system, whether through anonymous surveys or a trusted third-party platform, shows that you value candid input. This is crucial for identifying the underlying issues that might not surface in face-to-face conversations. When teachers trust that their feedback will be handled discreetly, they can provide the insights you need to address sensitive topics and make meaningful improvements to the school environment.

Turn Teacher Input into Action

Collecting data is only half the battle; the other half is acting on it. Nothing undermines trust faster than asking for feedback and then doing nothing with it. Once you’ve gathered survey responses, it’s crucial to close the feedback loop. Share a summary of the key findings with your staff—this shows you’ve been listening. More importantly, outline the specific, concrete steps you plan to take in response to their input. As research from TNTP shows, simply making an effort to keep teachers can make a significant difference. Following through on your commitments demonstrates that their voices matter and that their contributions are valued, which is a powerful retention tool in itself.

Track Your Progress and Adjust

A successful retention strategy is not a one-time fix; it’s a dynamic process that requires ongoing attention. After implementing changes based on teacher feedback, you need to track your progress to see what’s working. Set clear, measurable retention targets and regularly monitor key metrics like teacher turnover rates, absenteeism, and satisfaction scores from follow-up surveys. Regularly tracking these metrics allows you to assess the impact of your initiatives and make informed adjustments along the way. This data-informed approach ensures your efforts remain relevant and effective, helping you adapt to the evolving needs of your staff and school community.

Commit to Continuous Improvement

Ultimately, retaining great teachers is about fostering a culture of continuous improvement where everyone feels like a partner in growth. This means embedding feedback and reflection into your school’s regular operations. Use data not just to fix problems but to proactively enhance the teacher experience. By consistently measuring the effectiveness of your programs and refining them based on performance and feedback, you create a positive cycle of development. When administrators and faculty work together to identify challenges and celebrate successes, you build a resilient, supportive community where talented educators want to build their careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to improve teacher retention, but I'm not sure where to begin. What's the most impactful first step? Start by listening. Before you launch any new initiatives, you need a clear picture of what your teachers are actually experiencing. The most effective first step is to gather honest feedback through a confidential survey. Ask specific questions about their workload, the support they receive, and the school culture. Acting on just one or two key issues that emerge from that feedback will build more trust and goodwill than a dozen well-intentioned programs that miss the mark.

How can I make teacher evaluations feel more like supportive coaching and less like a judgment? The key is to shift the focus from scoring to growth. Using a consistent teaching framework helps ground your conversations in objective, shared language rather than personal opinion. Frame your feedback sessions around a teacher's own professional goals. Instead of just pointing out areas for improvement, work with them to identify specific, actionable steps and connect them with the resources they need to succeed. This turns evaluation into a collaborative process.

Many retention efforts focus on new teachers. How can I make sure my experienced educators also feel valued? Create leadership opportunities that don't require them to leave the classroom. Your veteran teachers are a huge asset, and they need to see a path for growth, too. Invite them to become mentors for new hires, lead professional development workshops in their area of expertise, or pilot new curriculum initiatives. These roles recognize their skill and provide a meaningful way for them to advance their careers while strengthening the entire school community.

My budget is limited. What are some high-impact, low-cost ways to build a more positive school culture? A positive culture is built on consistent recognition and clear communication, both of which cost very little. Start by making appreciation a visible, regular practice, such as creating a simple system for staff to give public shout-outs to their colleagues. Also, be disciplined about closing the communication loop. When you ask for feedback, always report back to the staff on what you heard and what you plan to do about it. These actions show respect for your team's time and expertise.

How do I get honest feedback from my staff if they're worried about being candid? The only way to get honest feedback is to guarantee anonymity and prove that it's safe to speak up. Use a simple, confidential survey tool that protects identities. When you share the results, focus on the overall themes and trends rather than quoting individual comments. Most importantly, follow through with action. When teachers see that their confidential feedback leads to positive, tangible changes, they will learn to trust the process and become more candid over time.