Most teachers have tenure protections that constrain dismissal. Some argue that tenure improves recruitment and retention by mitigating the risk of monopsony employment and substituting job security for lower salaries. Others argue that tenure reduces performance incentives making it difficult to dismiss ineffective teachers. We examine…

A case study of 1100 high school teachers in a large urban district that has experienced declining enrollment for eight years illustrates several of the exit options and career mobility effects of riffing (reduction in force). The findings show that during decline, freely chosen movement out (exit), or laterally (moderate number of location…

Internal and external organizational influences on faculty mobility were studied during the 1985-1986 academic year. The investigation, which was designed as a replication of a 1958 study of the academic marketplace by Caplow and Reece, involved interviews with department heads, colleagues of departed faculty members, and new appointees at six…