Carver-Thomas, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2019). The trouble with teacher turnover: how teacher attrition affects students and schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27(36), 1-32.
With more than 8% of teachers turning their occupation down annually, the vast majority of researches dedicated to the issues of US education have analyzed possible precedents behind such an attrition tendency. Hence, in terms of the following research paper, the authors decided to convey a contrastive analysis of the data introduced by the US Department of Education surveys in order to define current turnover tendencies. Moreover, the examination was aimed at estimating variables in terms of the attrition incidence, including specifics of gender, race, location, and socio-economic environment of the educational establishment. The study’s methodology includes a descriptive report on the turnover rates within the state and logistic regression model in terms of establishing relations between the aforementioned characteristics. The turnover prediction calculation was executed with the help of Pearson chi-square goodness of fit test. The study’s findings indicate the tendency of varying turnover rates depending on both teachers and schools’ characteristics, including the income rates, teaching area, gender and racial affiliation. According to the final calculations, 16% of the teachers either left the job or moved schools each year, providing an explicit statistical data on regional trends, school status, and area of expertise. An exceptional value of the following study concerns the authors’ ability to outline some of the major policies to be introduced in order to address the issue in the future. The future implications of the study might be related to the empirical outcome of the policy introduction.
Newberry, M., & Allsop, Y. (2017). Teacher attrition in the USA: The relational elements in a Utah case study. Teachers and Teaching, 23(8), 863-880.
In the context of the US educational system, the state of Utah has been a leading state when it comes to the young teachers’ attrition rates for several years. Bearing in mind the unprecedented attrition rate of 46% in 2012, authors of the following study decided to dwell upon an explicit analysis of the factors behind the phenomenon. The major purpose of the study was to outline the distinct characteristics of the teachers who stayed at the job, and the ones who had a tendency to leave. Hence, the authors aimed at applying empirical data to the theoretical framework in order to either justify or object to the statement. The methodology of the study included primary data collection in the form of questionnaires filled in by the state teachers, and secondary data analysis, implying examination of some of the major theoretical fundamentals in terms of early career choices. The data collected was then analyzed in terms of several categories, including dispositions, decisions, and external factors. As a result of the conducted study, some of the major mitigating factors to influence one’s decision to leave were identified. These included the levels of workload and stress, sense of collegiality, emotions, isolation, and willingness to contribute more to the social environment. Future implications of the study might relate to applying the study methodology to the other states to provide a contrastive analysis. A distinctive strength of the following research is its narrowness that allows dwelling upon a variety of attrition aspects.
Geiger, T., & Pivovarova, M. (2018). The effects of working conditions on teacher retention. Teachers and Teaching, 24(6), 604-625.
When speaking of teacher attrition, working conditions and overall environment are the most crucial factors in terms of the decision-making process. The authors of the following research article decided to collect the data provided on the teacher attrition in the state of Arizona throughout three years in order to estimate the correlation between the turnover and working conditions quality. The problem tackled in the study primarily concerned working conditions crucial for the workers, and their impact on the employment rates. However, unlike the previous studies, the primary focus of the article was placed on the factors that encourage teachers’ retention rather than precedents that make them leave the job. Thus, in terms of the methods used within the research, both quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques were executed. First, quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted in order to calculate the studies sample and further investigation techniques. Having collected data from the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), researchers established the categories in terms of school conditions and other potentially crucial factors like income rate of the students and ethnic affiliation. As a result of investigation, it was concluded that despite no explicit evidence on the working conditions’ effect on the teacher attrition, employees considered them to be crucial in terms of the retention paradigm. The further implications of the study might concern the application of the formulated theoretical framework to the attrition causes in other states across the US.
Weldon, P. (2018). Early career teacher attrition in Australia: evidence, definition, classification and measurement. Australian Journal of Education, 62(1), 61-78.
Teacher attrition is an issue that, by all means, tackles each country significantly, as the tendency is increasing due to a variety of factors without being tied to a particular socio-economic pattern. However, sometimes, media resources and authorities tend to exaggerate the real attrition figures in order to draw more attention to the problem. Thus, the primary purpose of the study on teacher attrition rates in Australia was to determine the actual issue scene in order not to confuse the citizens. The major issues discussed in the paper included the problem of attrition definition, evidence on attrition rate in Australia, and the means of its measurement within the state. The major methods used within the research included primary data collection (news, governmental reports, field studies, etc.), and qualitative analysis, constituting 86 analyzed pieces overall. The results of the research had shown that the data obtained from Australian sources could not be trustworthy due to the high level of discrepancy between the figures outlined within the past five years (8-50). Instead, the focus was placed on the attrition rates indicated by foreign sources, claiming the attrition rates to vary within 15-20%. Moreover, the authors of the study managed to outline some of the most crucial factors in terms of the peculiarities of defining attrition and its measurement, emphasizing the importance of external factors. Hence, the following article serves as an asset for further attrition rates calculation worldwide.
Glazer, J. (2018). Learning from those who no longer teach: viewing teacher attrition through a resistance lens. Teaching and Teacher Education, 74, 62-71.
When speaking of teacher attrition as a tendency in the modern world, most people relate this issue with professionals who leave the job within the first five years of practice. However, statistical data from the US claims teachers with more experience in the field to go before retirement age to practically the same extent. Hence, the primary purpose of the following study was to identify the major factors for teacher early attrition through the prism of professional expertise and direct experience in the field. The study’s methodology included collecting primary data through conducting a semi-structured interview with 25 participants. The value of the empirical data lies in the variety of fields and experience among interviewees. The answers were then categorized according to one’s reasons to leave the job prior to the retirement age. The results of the study contributed to defining some of the major causes for leaving school that included frustration with the curriculum, dissatisfaction with the testing system, and job insecurity in terms of the national labor market. Future implications of the study could be divided into two major aspects. The first one deals with the foundation for further research aimed at analyzing attrition from a perspective of qualified teachers who have much experience in the sphere. Another implication concerns the development of educational policies aimed at improving retention rates among teachers. A distinctive strength of the following study concerns its novelty in the area of teacher attrition investigation.
Chosen Subject Discussion
The educational paradigm has constantly been modifying due to the teaching field’s close correlation with the socio-economic environment and developmental tendencies. However, despite the level of attention dedicated to the process of education and its relevance in the future, teaching remains one of the most underestimated and ungrateful occupations in both financial and emotional aspects. People who graduate as educators frequently quit once they face the reality of immense workload, underpayment, and overall disrespect to the job (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). Hence, the overall attrition tendency worldwide and in the US particularly has been steadily increasing over the past years, drawing the researchers’ attention to the issue. However, with the existing variety of investigations on teacher attrition, there is no definite theoretical framework able to define the real trend foundation. Taking the following topic for the dissertation will be the first step towards systemizing the primary data outlined in the aforementioned researches in order to define the ways in which this dilemma might be addressed by society and policymakers. Furthermore, teacher turnover during the first years of practice is an issue that cannot leave citizens uninfluenced due to the hazardous tendency consequences for education and culture in general.
References
Carver-Thomas, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2019). The trouble with teacher turnover: how teacher attrition affects students and schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27(36), 1-32.
Geiger, T., & Pivovarova, M. (2018). The effects of working conditions on teacher retention. Teachers and Teaching, 24(6), 604-625.
Glazer, J. (2018). Learning from those who no longer teach: viewing teacher attrition through a resistance lens. Teaching and Teacher Education, 74, 62-71.
Newberry, M., & Allsop, Y. (2017). Teacher attrition in the USA: The relational elements in a Utah case study. Teachers and Teaching, 23(8), 863-880.
Weldon, P. (2018). Early career teacher attrition in Australia: evidence, definition, classification and measurement. Australian Journal of Education, 62(1), 61-78.