School Organizational Contexts, Teacher Turnover, and Student Achievement

Abstract

We study the relationship between school organizational contexts, teacher turnover, and student achievement in New York City (NYC) middle schools. Using factor analysis, we construct measures of four distinct dimensions of school climate captured on the annual NYC School Survey. We identify credible estimates by isolating variation in organizational contexts within schools over time. We find that improvements in school leadership especially, as well as in academic expectations, teacher relationships, and school safety are all independently associated with corresponding reductions in teacher turnover. Increases in school safety and academic expectations also correspond with student achievement gains. These results are robust to a range of threats to validity suggesting that our findings are consistent with an underlying causal relationship.

An examination of individual teacher engagement and school climate characteristics that influence highly effective veteran teachers to remain teaching in low-performing schools.

“…To examine organizational antecedents, literature explored the role of the leaders in organizations. For example, the influence of the leader on selfefficacy, perceptions of the leader's expectations and role, providing a supportive environment, clarifying the organization's vision and goals, providing a safe environment, and developing and sustaining a positive culture (Darling-Hammond, 2003;Hirsch, Emerick, Church, & Fuller, 2007;Kraft et al, 2016;Loeb et al, 2005;Pogodzinski et al, 2012). The outcome of the study suggested that positive organizational environments enhanced EE (Shuck & Wollard, 2010).…”

“…Despite the negative statistics that illustrate a significant teacher attrition problem in low-performing schools, there is evidence that there are some veteran teachers who remain in low-performing schools for extended periods beyond the average five years (Clotfelter et al, 2004). Related literature supported that retaining highly effective veteran teachers would help schools to be more effective in the turnaround effort (Ingersoll & Merrill, 2013;Ingersoll et al, 2014;Kraft et al, 2016). However, only one study has been identified that examined factors that influenced veteran teachers to remain in the teaching profession.…”

“…There is compelling evidence that retention of quality teachers and school leaders are important to successful schools (Chetty, Friedman, & Rockoff, 2014;Clotfelter, Ladd, Vigdor, & Wheeler, 2007;Kraft, Marinell, & Yee, 2016;Pogodzinski, Youngs, Frank & Belman, 2012). Research reveals that teachers' daily preparation, instruction, and interactions with students in the classroom are critical to yielding student achievement gains (Chetty et al, 2014;.…”

“…Further, empirical literature indicates strong positive associations between school climate and teacher attrition (Ingersoll, 2001;Kraft et al, 2016;Loeb, Darling-Hammond, & Luczak, 2005;Marinell & Coca, 2013). The climate illuminates the values, norms, vision, mission, instructional practices, and learning process in any school (Wang & Degol,).…”

“…Further, predictors of teachers' intent to remain teaching in low-performing schools were the level to which they felt recognized by school leaders, felt safe in the school environment, and experienced collegiality with peers (Boyd et al, 2011;Kraft, Marinell, & Yee, 2016;Pogodzinski et al, 2012).…”