This quantitative, correlational study explored the relationship between teacher retention and teachers' perception of high school learning and the social-physical environment along the "I-95 Corridor of Shame." Two regression analyses were conducted using a dataset of 68 observations taken from 17 "I-95 Corridor of Shame" high…

Research for Action (RFA) studied why Black teachers were leaving their jobs more than White teachers in Allegheny County from 2014 to 2020. RFA analyses found that the number of Black teachers in the area was consistently dropping, more than the decrease in the overall Black population. The data gathered from speaking directly with 38 current and…

Widespread critical shortages of high-quality teachers in the United States (Sutcher, Darling-Hammond, Carver-Thomas, 2016) has prompted considerable research on staffing trends within the teaching profession. Research suggests both an increase in the demand for teachers and a "chronic and relatively high annual turnover compared with many…

No one stakeholder group can realize lasting change on their own; nor can any reform initiative focusing on just one type of strategy create the workplace conditions needed to truly build capacity within the education profession. Rather, stakeholders must focus on collaborating, reaching common understanding, and prioritizing for ultimate impact…

Teacher shortages are essentially a problem of distribution (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; National Association of State Boards of Education, 1998; Olson, 2000; Reeves, 2003; Voke, 2002). According to recent studies, hardest to find are teachers who are both qualified and willing to teach in hard-to-staff schools, which included those in…

Addresses the problem of bureaucratic control over what is taught and how in the classroom. Suggests that only by allowing classroom teachers to be part of curriculum decisions will public schools promote the growth of academic freedom and creative thinking. Argues that quality teaching is more important than political safety or obedient teachers.…

A California school district, expecting 600 new students and only filling less than half of their 70 open teaching positions from usual hiring sources, took their teacher recruitment program on the road and around the country. Top flight teachers were hired at precisely the grade levels and subject areas needed. (MLF)

This study of 82 general educators with certification in special education found that over half would consider special education positions. Primary deterrents to special education teaching included paperwork and factors related to working with special populations; potential incentives included adequate teaching resources, minimal nonteaching…

Utah's involvement with career ladders grew out of the nationwide educational reform movement. The plan was to improve learning by improving the quality of teachers. This could be done by retaining superior teachers, attracting higher quality recruits, and improving teachers' working conditions. In 1984 the Utah Legislature focused on…

To explore several categories of variables strongly associated with professional satisfaction and dissatisfaction in American middle schools, responses of 540 out of 900 targeted middle school teachers to two open-ended questions were analysed. (The two survey items were drawn from the Status of the U.S. American Middle School Teacher…

Over the past decade, the high number of teachers leaving the profession has been a growing concern among parents, teacher educators, administrators, and policy-makers. While most argue the problem is due to a burgeoning demand and increased numbers of retirements, some researchers propose that the problem of teacher shortages is far more complex.…

This collection of articles gathers reprinted materials on teacher attraction and retention for small and rural school districts. The material is organized in two sections: (1) Attracting and Retaining Quality Teachers and (2) Challenging and Enriching Current Staff. Reprints from a number of publications present strategies for addressing the…

Argues that the best way to improve teachers' performance and morale is to provide more paid time for essential teaching tasks. Six suggestions are provided: reduce class size; provide clerical help; delegate responsibility; provide student assistants; seek help from parents; provide monthly (nonteaching) work days. (TE)

This study, begun in October 1987, was conducted to explore the effect of particular contexts of schooling on educational outcomes and to provide a comprehensive look at what and how context conditions affect teaching and learning. The study design integrates 3 years of field research in 16 public and private high schools in 2 states and analyses…

This report synthesizes research on attracting and maintaining quality teachers in a profession increasingly labeled mediocre, reviews pertinent literature, and suggests ways principals can motivate teachers, and makes recommendations for reducing current science and math shortages. Those entering the teaching profession are no longer drawn…