ERIC Number: ED661585
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Sep
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-916567-16-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Policy Analysis of Student Loan Reimbursements for Improving Teacher Retention
Sarah Tang; Jack Worth
National Foundation for Educational Research
The research was commissioned by the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) and Universities' Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) to estimate the costs and possible impact on teacher supply of introducing a new Teacher Student Loan Reimbursement (TSLR) scheme. Under a TSLR scheme, the government pays back any student loan repayments a teacher made in the previous year provided they are still teaching in a state school and are in the first ten years of their career. The report presents analysis modelling the possible impact on teacher retention of introducing a TSLR scheme. We also compared the value for money of a TSLR scheme to other financial incentives designed to improve teacher supply, namely bursary increases and early-career retention payments (ECRPs). The research suggests that a TSLR scheme could prove a cost-effective option for policymakers alongside ECRPs, particularly when bursaries are already at a high level. Key findings: (1) Our modelling estimates that introducing a TSLR scheme in 2025/26 for all teachers who are in their first ten years since qualifying would lead to an increase of around 2,100 teachers in the first year of the programme; (2) The cost per additional teacher-year gained was lowest for bursaries, where a subject had no existing bursary (around £9,000) or where the existing bursary was low (around £10,000 per additional teacher-year for an existing bursary of £10,000). This suggests that a policy approach of first raising bursaries where they are low is likely to be most cost effective; and (3) The cost per additional teacher-year gained was similar for TSLRs and ECRPs (around £12,500). Both were also very similar to the cost per additional teacher-year where bursaries are already around £30,000. This suggests that where there is already a high bursary (e.g. maths and physics currently attract a £28,000 bursary) it is worth focusing on incentivising retention.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teachers, Teacher Employment Benefits, Fringe Benefits, Loan Repayment, Teacher Persistence, Teacher Shortage, Cost Effectiveness, Program Evaluation, Educational Policy
National Foundation for Educational Research. The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2DQ, UK. Tel: +44-1753-574123; Fax: +44-1753-637280; e-mail: enquiries@nfer.ac.uk; Web site: http://www.nfer.ac.uk
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) (United Kingdom)
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A