MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro School Committee members agreed to form a task force to consider how exit interviews might be used to learn why educators are leaving the district.

The discussion included a call by two committee members for the schools to hire a human resources person.

Committee member Susan Pennini, who called for the task force formation, said she supported “data-informed decision making’’ rather than potentially relying on secondhand information. 

Having specific information would allow people to review exact data, she said, so the district can “start tracking teacher retention in ways’’ that work. “When we see where the gaps are, what intervention we want to do, we can target that.’’ 

People leave positions for various reasons, Pennini noted, including retirement and switching jobs within the school. A person who moved from teaching third grade to fourth, for example, would not be considered a retained teacher, by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education definitions. 

But others choose to leave the district. which she said could prompt school officials to “ask other questions.’’ 

Teacher retention is among the issues included in the district improvement plan. Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Lyons said in August that 14 recent staff resignations were a “concern’’ although she said the numbers were not much different than previous years. 

The 14 resignations included eight teachers, five paraprofessionals and one nurse.

Lyons told committee members at that time that she wants to focus on teacher retention. “We want to be keeping and maintaining all talent.’’ She noted the issue of teacher departures reflects a trend that is “bigger than Middleboro.’’

Although committee members supported the task force, questions asked at the Oct. 24 meeting about who would review these results raised the issue of hiring a human resources person. 

Committee chair Allin Frawley has publicly advocated for this position for months. 

“We have to go to Town Meeting,’’ he said, and include human resources as “part of our budget.’’

Pennini agreed, describing a human resources position in the schools is “a most high priority.’’

Most school districts in the area have one, she noted.