High Teacher Turnover Rates are a Big Problem for America’s Public Schools

Article in Forbes.com:

NCTAF’s findings are a clear indication that America’s teacher dropout problem is spiraling out of control.  Teacher attrition has grown by 50 percent over the past fifteen years.  The national teacher turnover rate has risen to 16.8 percent.  In urban schools it is over 20 percent, and, in some schools and districts, the teacher dropout rate is actually higher than the student dropout rate.  The pilot study shows:

• The costs of teacher turnover are substantial.
• At-risk schools spend scarce dollars on teacher turnover.
• Teacher turnover undermines at-risk schools.
• At-risk schools could recoup funds by investing in teacher retention.
• Turnover costs can be identified, aggregated, and analyzed.
• District data systems are not designed to control the costs of turnover.