Considerable research has been conducted into teacher retention and attrition (Huberman, 1989; Dinham, 1995; Ewing & Smith, 2002). Little is known, though, of the circumstances of ex-teachers, in terms of factors such as salary, workload, working conditions and "job prestige". For this paper, telephone interviews were conducted with 22…

The traditional teaching career is collapsing at both ends. Beginners are being driven away by antiquated preparation practices, outdated school staffing policies, and inadequate career rewards. At the end of their careers, accomplished veterans who still have much to contribute are being separated from their schools by obsolete retirement…

The Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education and is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. TFS is a follow-up survey of selected elementary and secondary school teachers who participated in the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). SASS is the…

It is commonly believed that teacher turnover is unusually high and that this is a sign of failure in the education system. Previous studies have tested this idea by comparing teacher turnover with that of similar professions, but have come to contradictory conclusions. We provide additional evidence by comparing teachers with professionals from…

Policy discussions about teacher quality and teacher "shortages" often focus on recruitment and retention of young teachers. However, attention has begun to focus on the incentive effects of teacher retirement benefit systems, particularly given their rising costs and the large unfunded liabilities. In this paper we analyze accrual of…

Educational leaders are often asked how to reduce the alarming percentage of new teachers who leave the profession when their careers have barely started. But an equally important question--and one that is rarely addressed--is, What can be done to keep effective veteran teachers from retiring when schools need their wisdom, insight, and maturity?…

The objective of the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) is to provide information about teacher mobility and attrition among elementary and secondary school teachers who teach in grades K-12 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In pursuit of this objective, TFS examines the characteristics of those who stay in the teaching profession and…

This report attempts to predict the rates of teacher turnover in the 1970s, which teachers will leave the profession, and what the effects of turnover will be on the educational personnel system. The overall termination rate has varied from six to 11 percent over the last 15 years. An analysis of recent changes in the teaching profession is used…

Recounts how awareness of the fact that she could retire if she wanted to changed the way a teacher taught and thought, and allowed her to relax. (JL)

The shortage of teachers in America's classrooms is reaching epidemic proportions. The National Education Association (2003) predicted that nearly one million veteran teachers will retire within the next decade, and reported that the number of classrooms without qualified teachers increases each year. In this article, the authors contend that a…

In "Market-Based Pay Reform for Public School Teachers"--a paper presented at the National Center on Performance Incentives research to policy conference in February--Michael Podgursky, professor of economics at the University of Missouri, examines the effects and unintended consequences of the current compensation system for teachers in…

Early murmurs concerning teacher attrition in the United States have risen to an alarming level since the 1990s. Given that half of the 1990s teaching force were/are expected to retire between 2000 and 2010, the cry has been heard loud and clearly throughout the nation. Furthermore, today's fledgling teachers are fleeing at astronomical rates,…

Teacher quality is one of the most important predictors of a child's academic achievement, but schools in Indiana and across the nation are struggling to employ a full cadre of teachers who are qualified to instruct the subjects they are teaching. This policy brief explores the factors and circumstances behind the national struggle to meet the…

In this article, the author discusses the need of support for new teachers and keep them teaching. New teachers will need to be hired, as much as many teachers leave the teaching profession. There are various reasons why teachers leave their profession. These includes, dissatisfaction with administrative support as well as workplace conditions.…

This report presents the Connecticut edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's 2008 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook." The 2008 "Yearbook" focuses on how state policies impact the retention of effective new teachers. This policy evaluation is broken down into three areas that encompass 15 goals. Broadly, these goals…