The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) is pleased to announce the release of the 2013 Status of the Massachusetts Educator Workforce Report. This year's report focuses on first-year teachers in Massachusetts and includes data on their preparation, placement and retention. As described in the report, first-year teachers teach a disproportionate share of low-income students and students who come into class behind their peers academically, making this group of teachers especially important for closing proficiency gaps in Massachusetts. The goal of this year's report is to help guide teacher recruitment and retention efforts, especially in hard to staff areas, and help to improve the support ESE, preparation programs and school districts provide to first-year teachers.