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Media Contact:      

Juliette Coulter, 214-394-5532, juliette@coultergroup.com

 

 

The Educator Collective and Principal Impact Collaborative Merge

to Support and Sustain Educators across North Texas

 

Nonprofits unify under The Educator Collective brand

to respond to the crisis in educator retention

 

DALLAS, August 13, 2025 — A pair of North Texas education nonprofits focused on supporting educators—The Educator Collective and the Principal Impact Collaborative—have officially merged, uniting under The Educator Collective name and an evolved brand. This strategic move brings together the two organizations that share a goal of addressing one of the most pressing challenges in education today: the urgent need to support, retain and empower educators who are equipped to create positive outcomes for students. 

Texas is seeing a statewide crisis in educator retention. Turnover rates among Texas teachers and principals have climbed to 19% and 21% respectively[1], with more than 75% of teachers considering leaving the profession altogether[2]. The cost of this attrition is staggering—up to $25,000 per teacher and $75,000 per principal[3]—placing an immense burden on school systems and threatening student outcomes.

Previously, the organizations worked in parallel, making measurable progress in retaining different segments of the education ecosystem. The Principal Impact Collaborative at the University of North Texas at Dallas served principals and district leaders, while The Educator Collective served classroom teachers. Both shared a focus on promoting not only leadership development and innovation but also the personal well-being and resilience of educators within a community of peers.

Now, the newly unified Educator Collective will deliver integrated programming across the full spectrum of school leadership—from classroom teachers to principals to district administrators—having supported nearly 7,000 educators in more than 60 school districts to date. The Educator Collective’s multi-disciplinary approach to leadership development, community building and personal growth has resulted in improved statewide educator retention rates of 89% or more compared to a rate of 79% achieved by traditional professional development provided by districts.

“At a time when educators are facing unprecedented stress and burnout, this merger makes it possible to respond to the urgent needs of the people leading our classrooms, schools and districts,” said Alejandra Barbosa, CEO of The Educator Collective, formerly the Founding Executive Director of Principal Impact Collaborative. “When great leaders stay in the job, great teachers stay too, and that ripple effect leads to strong school cultures where students thrive.”

“Our goal is that the expanded Educator Collective will not only serve many more educators, but also provide them even deeper services in a community where they can invest in themselves and in their peers,” said Robert Taylor, founder of The Educator Collective, who will continue in his role as Board Chair of the merged organization.

In this new chapter, The Educator Collective will offer integrated programming focused on leadership development, innovation, educator well-being and community-building. Signature programs will include:

  • An Educator Membership Program providing free events to support and energize public and charter school teachers.

  • The Principal Fellowship, a two-year, cohort-based, multi-district leadership development program designed to retain and sustain North Texas principals.

  • Leadership Lab, a customized leadership development cohort experience designed to support the retention and sustainability of a district’s educators.

  • The District Well-Being Program, customized programming that supports well-being, strengthens resilience and motivates educators to stay in the work they love.

  • Consulting & Program Design, bringing districts professional development facilitation, customized program design, individual coaching and project-based consultations.


The Educator Collective chose to unite under The Educator Collective name because it centers the people who lead learning and honors the collaborative spirit that drives its work. The organization has also unveiled a refreshed brand identity, which incorporates elements from both legacy brands and captures the spirit of the mission: connection, energy and the transformational potential of empowered educators.

For more information about The Educator Collective, visit the organization’s new website at www.educatorcollective.org.

 

[1] Commit! Dashboard for Teacher Turnover based on TEA PEIMS 2024 data, TEA 2023-24 report on principal attrition.

[2] Charles Butt Foundation, “The 2024 Texas Teacher Poll: The Value of the Texas Teaching Profession.”

[3] Learning Policy Institute, 2024, “2024 Update: What’s The Cost of Teacher Turnover?” and School Leaders Network (SLN), 2014 report, “CHURN: The high cost of principal turnover.”