The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) sponsored the 1988-89 Teacher Followup Survey (TFS), conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, to update data on teacher career patterns and plans. This survey is a follow-up of the 1987-88 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) teacher sample. The TFS is the fifth component of the SASS. The sample is a nationally representative sample of public and private school teachers that includes some who have left the profession. This data file users' manual contains information necessary to use the survey results. Contents include information on survey methodology and response rates, file arrangement and contents, and sampling and weighting procedures. The main purposes of the TFS are to: (1) determine the attrition rate for teachers; (2) determine characteristics of those who stay in and those who leave the teaching profession; (3) obtain activity and occupation data for those who leave the teaching profession and career patterns for those remaining in the profession; (4) obtain data on educational activities and future plans; and (5) obtain data on attitudes about the teaching profession and job satisfaction. The follow-up survey and answers to each survey question follow the report. Eight appendixes provide supplemental information (industry codes, occupation codes, and frequency data in the public use tape). (SLD)