Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation, and to the States

On July 17, 2014, the Alliance released an updated version of its teacher attrition report with new data. You can find it at https://all4ed.org/reports-factsheets/path-to-equity/.

There is growing consensus among researchers and educators that the single most important factor in determining a student’s performance is the quality of his or her teacher. Yet, every school day, nearly a thousand teachers leave the field of teaching. Another thousand teachers change schools in pursuit of better working conditions. Why is teacher turnover so high? Teachers cite a lack of support and poor working conditions among the primary factors. Research shows that new teacher turnover rates can be cut in half through comprehensive induction, which helps to develop novice teachers into high-quality professionals who improve student achievement.