Teacher Attrition: Differences in Stakeholder Perceptions of Teacher Work Conditions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in perceptions between three stakeholder groups—principals, K-12 teachers, and parents—regarding the effect of workplace conditions on teacher attrition. All three groups agreed that workplace conditions are important, but they disagreed about (a) which workplace conditions are most problematic for teachers, (b) the magnitude of these problems, and (c) the degree to which these problems may contribute to teachers leaving. The greatest disagreements occurred in perceptions of (a) teachers’ involvement in decision-making, (b) protection of teacher preparation time, (c) administration’s management of student discipline, (d) adequacy of resource availability, (e) the degree to which a trusting and supportive school environment existed within the school, and (f) whether teachers’ expectations were reasonable. Overall, principals believed that work conditions are relatively good for teachers, while many teachers disagreed with these perceptions.

Teacher Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Informing Policies to Support Teacher Well-being and Effective Teaching Practices

“…This may be beneficial for two reasons in particular. First, Harris et al (2019) have demonstrated that perceptions about work conditions for teachers (including teacher expectations, personal life issues, and job satisfaction) differed among principals, teachers, and other stakeholders. As a result, relying solely on input from principals or district leaders in decision-making processes may exclude the important, distinct perspectives of teachers.…”

Quality Education: Critical Policy Considerations that Impact Teacher Retention in Schools

“…Teacher attrition and its twin concept, teacher retention, impact quality education (Harris et al, 2019). Teacher attrition means teachers switching schools from nonmetropolitan areas or leaving the teaching profession altogether (Nguyen et al, 2019;Mason & Matas, 2015).…”

“…Some authors argue teacher attrition has potential benefits (James & Wyckoff, 2020) because it is a mechanism through which teachers gain a variety of experience, new ideas and talents are brought into schools, and productive teacherschool matches are formed. Conversely, teacher attrition imposes cost burdens on schools and education districts from which teachers depart, affecting not only a country's budget but also the social and academic outcomes of its citizens (Harris et al, 2019;Mason & Matas, 2015;Sorensen & Ladd, 2020). These burdens can take the form of recruiting, hiring, and training costs (Sorensen & Ladd, 2020).…”

“…Teachers who leave schools may also create additional workloads for their former colleagues and replacement costs for schools and districts (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). It is costly for education systems and schools to lose knowledgeable, skilled, and committed teachers, so education leaders should understand the factors enabling attrition (Harris et al, 2019).…”

Trauma-informed initial teacher education training: A necessary step in a system-wide response to addressing childhood trauma

“…However, teachers' capacities to recognise and respond to the impacts of complex trauma experienced by their students are complex and dependent on many factors, including the preparation that they receive during their initial teacher education programs (Rodger et al, 2020). The growing prevalence of students affected by complex trauma, the significant implications of unresolved trauma for students later in life (Anda et al, 2010;Kliethermes et al, 2014), and the concerning impact that challenging student behaviour can have on teacher decisions to stay or leave the profession (Harris et al, 2019), highlight an imperative for action at an education system level. It is proposed that this systemic response must encompass the mandatory inclusion of trauma-informed teaching and learning within pre-service teacher education.…”