Two studies focused on factors associated with attrition and satisfaction among two-year postsecondary technical college instructors. Results suggested differences in the needs and professional development activities of beginning and experienced instructors. A third study compared follow-up data from a group of beginning instructors 5 years after…

Eighteen tables on characteristics of movers, leavers, and stayers present data from the 1988-89 Teacher Followup Survey (TFS), a follow-up of a sample of public school (PUBS) and private school (PVTS) teachers who responded to the Teacher Survey component of the 1987-88 Schools and Staffing Survey of the National Center for Education Statistics.…

The unusually high rate of teacher turnover in American Indian reservation schools (up to 41% of new teachers on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation) is an ongoing source of distress to administrators, teachers, and community members. Teachers who move on tend to be young, inexperienced (four or fewer years in teaching), single, and from or…

This document consists of the first two issues of a new newsletter of the National Clearinghouse for Profession in Special Education (NCPSE). The following articles are featured: "Diversity in the Special Education Teaching Force" (Judy L. Wald), which discusses reasons for the lack of teachers in special and general education from…

It is not uncommon for beginning teachers in Queensland (Australia) to be assigned their first teaching placement in a rural area. Many of these teachers stay there for the minimum time that they must, then seek to relocate to a coastal city. The literature and interviews with beginning rural teachers suggest that those who view the experience…

The problem of attracting and retaining qualified teachers is defined; and the complicating factors, current research, and policy options and implications are outlined in this issue brief. Complicating factors cited range from increased employment opportunities for women and minorities outside the teaching profession to difficulty in objectively…

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) designed an invitational conference "Preparing, Retaining and Supporting a High Quality Teacher Workforce" held in October 2005. It was convened at the Wingspread Conference Center and brought together presidents and chancellors from universities, state education officials, and…

A study examined the employment status of elementary, early childhood, and special education graduates from Chadron State College (Nebraska) for the academic years of 1996/97-2000/01 at 2 and 5 years after graduation. Surveys of 282 education graduates, most of whom were teaching in small towns and rural communities of their midwestern states of…

In this event history analysis of the 1990-1991 Schools and Staffing Survey and the 1992 Teacher Follow-up Survey, a retrospective person-year database was constructed to examine teacher attrition over the course of the teaching career. Consistent with prior research, higher teacher salaries reduced attrition, but only slightly so. Teacher…

Studies indicate that as many as 20 percent of teachers nationwide leave the profession after three years and close to 30 percent leave after five years. This research capsule examines the characteristics of teachers who move or leave and the types of schools they are most likely to leave. Findings on the impact of financial compensation on…

This study attempted to determine the personal and workplace variables which predict a special educator's decision to stay, transfer, or leave the classroom. A stratified random sample of 1,576 special education teachers in Florida was surveyed, resulting in 1,152 usable responses. Two models were estimated with forward stepwise logistic…

In an effort to understand how higher education institutions can retain women faculty members, this study examined the attitudes of eight tenured women faculty who chose to leave one research university. Some went to other tenured academic positions, others to research agencies. Interviews included open-ended questions as well as focused probes…

This presentation examines teacher attrition and defines policies that could help reduce attrition. It first presents a theory of teacher attrition that explains what patterns to expect in teacher attrition and turnover and why some teacher attrition may be inevitable. It presents findings from a longitudinal study of Indiana teachers,…

Reports survey of active and former teachers and high school seniors to determine sources of satisfaction/dissatisfaction in teaching, analyze teacher turnover rates and causes, and explore decision factors of prospective teacher. Finds teacher sources of satisfaction to be service to others, dissatisfactions to be low economic rewards and…

This analysis examined the percentage of teachers, both full-time and part-time, who left teaching positions, either to teach in other schools or to pursue other occupations. The study used data from the 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey, a national survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. Findings included the…