ATTRITION 1 A WAR OF ATTRITION Andrew T. Vestich ......Survey, Teacher Attrition and Mobility, The...

ATTRITION 1

A WAR OF ATTRITION

Andrew T. Vestich

SUBMITTTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF EDUCATION SPECIALIST IN EDUCATION

AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

August 30, 2009

APPROVED BY: Derek L. Anderson, Ed.D.

DATE: August 31, 2009

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ABSTRACT

A WAR OF ATTRITION

by Andrew T. Vestich

Across America, teachers are leaving the education profession - up to one-half of new

teachers are leaving their classrooms within the first five years of their careers (Lambert, 2006).

The costs of such constant turnover are skyrocketing – national financial estimates have reached

over $2 billion per year (Alliance, 2005). It is apparent that a solution must be found.

Nationally, over the past ten years, surveys of teachers, administrators, and parents have been

carried out by organizations such as MetLife, Phi Delta Kappa, and the National Center for

Education Statistics, in order to collect data on this subject. Their findings show that there are

many reasons why teachers quit teaching, including frustration with students, administrators, and

parents, a lack of respect for teachers as professionals, dissatisfaction with salary-levels, and the

amount of personal time that must be sacrificed in order to do the job well. The author

conducted independent research to collect local data on the subject. The focus of this paper is to

compare how teacher’s reasons for leaving the profession in Michigan’s Copper Country

compare with the available national data.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 02

Chapter I: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 05

Statement of Problem ............................................................................................ 05

Research Question(s) ............................................................................................. 05

Chapter II: Review of Literature ........................................................................................ 06

Defining the problem.

The 39th

A National Priority: Americans Speak on Teacher Quality ......................... 09

Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll ............................................ 07

Teachers; who they are and what they want.

NCES’s 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) .............................. 11

Teacher Attrition and Mobility ................................................................... 13

The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher ............................................ 18

A Sense of Calling: Who Teaches and Why .............................................. 22

Costs of teacher attrition.

Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States ................ 25

The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School Districts .............................. 27

Chapter III: Explanation of Independent Data Collection .................................................. 34

Chapter IV: Explanation of Results of Independent Data Collection ................................. 37

Chapter V: Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 50

Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 50

Recommendation ................................................................................................... 53

References .................................................................................................................. 55

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Appendix: Charts and Graphs ............................................................................................ 57

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem

Since the 1970’s, educators have realized that the loss of classroom teachers from the

education profession, or teacher attrition, is a problem (Mark & Anderson, 1978). According to

the National Center for Education Statistics, 8.4% of public school teachers left their classrooms

in 2005 alone (Marvel, Lyter, Peltola, Strizek, & Morton, 2007). In schools across the country,

experienced teachers are leaving, to be replaced by recent college graduates. Oftentimes, the

most qualified are the ones to leave, because they have the easiest time finding more lucrative

employment in the private sector (Alliance, 2005). This is a costly situation. Students find

themselves being taught by less experienced teachers, while school districts have to pay to

recruit and train replacement teachers. Estimates for the nation’s total financial cost in replacing

these teachers have risen to over $2 billion per year (Alliance, 2005).

Research Question

This research project will focus on one specific question – How do the reasons for

leaving the education profession of teachers in Michigan’s Copper Country compare with the

national data?

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CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

Over the past ten years, different organizations have commissioned research regarding

teachers, the education profession, and the costs of teacher attrition. Chapter Two contains a

literature review of eight selected sources. The first two selections - The 39th

Annual Phi Delta

Kappa/Gallup Poll and A National Priority: Americans Speak on Teacher Quality, help to bring

clarity to the problem of attrition. The next four sources - NCES’s 2003-04 Schools and Staffing

Survey, Teacher Attrition and Mobility, The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, and A

Sense of Calling: Who Teaches and Why, focus on the feelings and experiences of America’s

teachers. The final two selections - Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the

States and The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School Districts – center around the costs

associated with recruiting and training replacement teachers.

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The 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public

Schools.

In 2007, Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), an international organization for educators, completed

the 39th

While this edition’s focus was the No Child Left Behind Act, a good portion of the data

collected pertains to the topics of teachers and teacher attrition. To begin with, the Gallup survey

showed that the average American’s beliefs about the role of the public school may be a cause of

teacher attrition. Over the years, the responsibilities of the public school system, and therefore of

teachers, have certainly expanded, and according to Rose and Gallop, (2007) that is exactly what

the American public have wanted. Their data shows that at the time of their survey 67% of

Americans felt that schools should be responsible for a variety of activities beyond the academic,

such as “addressing the social and emotional needs of children” (p. 41). Such an expansion in

the role of educators adds stress and reduces preparation time – two factors that are commonly

cited by those who leave classroom teaching.

edition of their annual education survey. PDK’s sample group consisted of 1,005 adults,

eighteen years of age or older, selected from the Gallup Organization’s 48,000-member

household panel. Individuals were recruited through random-digit dialing methods, and the

obtained sample was then weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population.

The PDK survey also shows however, that Americans did realize that retaining good

classroom teachers is important. According to their data, the vast majority of Americans were in

favor of a litany of incentive plans aimed at retaining qualified classroom teachers. As can be

seen in Table 40 of the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll section of Appendix 1: Tables and Graphs,

95% of the American adult population believed that smaller class sizes would be somewhat or

very effective at enticing teachers into staying in the classroom, while 92% felt that

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performance-based financial incentives would be somewhat or very effective. Eighty-seven

percent believed that higher starting salaries for teachers would be somewhat or very effective

(Rose & Gallop, 2007).

The PDK/Gallup survey also examined the public’s beliefs regarding the biggest

problems facing public schools. According to their findings, in 2007 both adults with no

children in school and public school parents gave the most votes to a lack of funding. That was

the only selection that they agreed on, however. Public school parents gave the second highest

percentage of votes to overcrowded schools, the third highest percentage to violence in schools

and the fourth highest to a lack of discipline. Adults with no children in school gave the second

highest percentage to lack of discipline, the third highest percentage to overcrowding, and the

fourth highest percentage was a tie between violence in schools and difficulty in attracting good

teachers (Rose & Gallop, 2007).

This shows the somewhat polar mentality of the American public when it comes to our

schools – most Americans favor a broad range of incentives to keep qualified teachers in their

classrooms, yet only 5% of the nation listed finding/retaining quality teachers as a top problem.

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A National Priority: Americans Speak on Teacher Quality

In 2002, Hart and Teeter also carried out nationwide research on Americans’ beliefs

regarding the quality of education and teachers in the American public school system.

Their research was carried out for the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and their

survey’s sampling group consisted of over 1000 adults – 407 parents of school-aged children,

409 educators, and 203 education policymakers. Coldwater Corporation did not attempt to do a

survey that was proportional to the demographics of the United States. Instead, they

oversampled specific demographics (parents of school-aged children, educators, policymakers)

to ensure that the data received was pertinent to their discussion. Individuals were sampled

through personal surveys, as well as focus groups carried out in Raleigh, North Carolina, and

Baltimore, Maryland.

Hart and Teeter found that a majority of Americans – 52% felt a need for comprehensive

reform within the public education system. These feelings were particularly strong in urban and

suburban areas, as well as with college graduates. During the course of the interviews,

individuals were asked about specific areas of reform – “school accountability, teacher quality,

and increases in funding for public schools.” Nearly 2/3 of participants responded favorably to

each of the three (Hart & Teeter, 2002, p. 7).

Their research also shows that both teachers and parents place a portion if the blame for

such a need on the lack of parental involvement. When questioned regarding the most serious

issues facing the American education system, 39% of parents and 58% of educators from the

sample group placed a lack of parental involvement in either first or second place. To put this

into perspective, 21% of parents and 18% of educators put “lack of classroom discipline” in first

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or second place, and 13% of parents and 26% of educators voted for “excessive class sizes” as

first or second in importance (Hart & Teeter, 2002, p. 6).

They also assert that Americans relate educational efficiency with teacher quality.

According to their findings, a majority or near-majority of their sample population somewhat or

strongly favored nearly every offered reform in the “teacher quality” category. For example,

70% of respondents strongly favored and 93% somewhat favored the concept of subject area

knowledge tests for teachers, while 50% of respondents strongly favored and 80% somewhat

favored increasing salaries for teachers, even if taxes had to be increased in order to pay for it

(Hart & Teeter, 2002).

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Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers, Principals, and School Libraries in the United

States 2003-2004: Schools and Staffing Survey.

The National Center for Education Statistics has conducted its own data-mining

regarding schools and teachers in the United States. This information collection has been

conducted five times: in school years 1987-88, 1990-91, 1993-94, 1999-2000, and again in

2003-04. It is one of the most complete demographic studies of teachers and administrators that

can be found.

The 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey, or SASS, included data from three main areas

– public schools, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools, and private schools. Within each of

these sectors, data were compiled regarding school demographics for teachers, principals,

districts, and library media centers. Public schools were selected from the 2001-02 Common

Core of Data. The private school sampling came from the 2001-02 Private School Survey. The

sampling frame for BIA schools came from a CCD list of elementary, secondary, and k-12

schools that were funded by the BIA during the 2001-02 school year.

Random sampling occurred within the sampling frames; however, certain guidelines were

established. For example, they mandated that there be a minimum of 2300 new teachers

surveyed, by sector. Also, a minimum of one teacher and maximum of 20 teachers would be

selected from each school in the sampling frame. The survey went out to 5,400 public school

districts, 13,300 schools, 13,300 principals or building leaders, 62,000 teachers, and 9,400 school

libraries or media centers.

The 2003-04 SASS utilized a quantitative approach, where they gathered information

through a series of surveys, carried out by the United States Census Bureau, on behalf of The

National Center for Education Statistics. These questionnaires were designed to obtain

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information about teachers and their education and training, workload, certifications, and

attitudes about their profession. Also, the SASS utilized a fully imputed data-set procedure.

(Strizek et al., 2007).

While the authors do not draw their own conclusions from the information that they

gathered, the data obtained by the SASS is massive and the information does allow for certain

demographic comparisons to be made regarding teachers and the teaching profession, ranging

from ethnicity to average salaries. For example, the survey asked questions regarding job

conditions, which can help explain some of the turnover seen within the profession. The data

showed that teachers had limited preparation time, and needed to work outside of their posted

work-hours. On average, public school teachers worked 38 hours by contract, 29 of which were

spent on classroom instruction. These same individuals reported spending an average of 53

hours per week on teaching and school-related activities – 15 hours more than their work week.

The SASS also gathered information regarding salaries and benefits. Researchers found

that the average public school teacher made $44,400 per year. Forty percent also reported

earning extra pay from their districts for work involving extracurricular activities, averaging

$2,700 per year (Strizek et al., 2007). As reported above, during the time of the survey 48% of

teachers had attained a master’s degree or higher. Between 1997 and 1999, the average salary

for a full-time worker with a master’s degree was $62,300 and $89,400 for someone with a PhD

(Cheeseman & Newburger, 2002). This difference in pay-levels may also be a contributing

factor in the loss of classroom teachers to alternate professions.

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Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results from the 2004-2005 Teacher Follow-up Survey.

The information gained from the SASS does not, however, come to its full usefulness for

this study until it is utilized along with the National Center for Education Statistics’ 2004-05

SASS Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS). The TFS is a follow-up survey of selected elementary

and secondary teachers who participated in the 2003-04 SASS. Out of the 51,223 public and

private school teachers who were sampled in the SASS, 7,429 teachers were surveyed for the

TFS. The sample was selected by using the SASS teacher base-weights, and has been divided

into five categories for comparison: status (stayers, movers, leavers), sector (traditional, charter,

private), teaching experience, grade level taught, and minority status.

The TFS utilized a quantitative approach, where they collected information through

another series of surveys. First, at the beginning of the 2004-05 school year, participating

schools were mailed a teacher status form (TFS-1), which allowed the surveyors to determine

who were “stayers” – still at the same school, “movers” – still in education but at a different

district, or “leavers” – those who had left the teaching profession. In January of 2005, one-third

of the teachers were mailed follow-up questionnaires, while the other two-thirds were offered the

option of completing the follow-up survey online. Finally, in April of 2005, each individual in

the sampling who had not responded, was contacted and given another opportunity to complete

the follow-up survey (Marvel, Lyter, Peltola, Strizek, & Morton, 2007).

The TFS data create the most complete picture of the thoughts and feelings of the

American teacher regarding their profession, and why some individuals choose to leave

classroom teaching. To begin, the TFS shows that of the 3,214,900 public school teachers who

were active during the 2003-04 school year, 84% remained in the same school or were stayers,

8% moved to a different school or were “movers,” and 8% left the profession altogether, and

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were classified as “leavers,” during the following year. This lends validity to the concept that

teacher attrition is a problematic occurrence. It can also be seen that this is a long-term trend, not

a short-term incidence. By looking at Table 1 of the Teacher Follow-UP Survey to the SASS

section of Appendix: Tables and Graphs, it can be seen that turnover rates have increased over

the life of the survey. After the school-year 1988-89, 7.9% of teachers were movers, and 5.6%

were leavers. After the 2004-05 school-year, 8.1% were movers, and 8.4% were leavers.

Table 2 of the Teacher Follow-UP Survey to the SASS section of Appendix: Tables and

Graphs takes the categories of stayers, movers, and leavers, and breaks the information down by

demographics, which creates some very useful comparisons. For instance, the gender, religion,

and school level do not seem to play a major role in affecting who stays or leaves, as their

percentages remain relatively stable. 83.9% of male teachers stayed in their current districts,

while 83.4% of women female teachers stayed. Also, 82.8% of elementary teachers were

stayers, and 84.6% of secondary teachers stayed.

The data suggest that some categories do play a larger role, however. For example, the

amount of full-time teaching experience an educator has seems to be a primary factor. Nearly

20% of educators who had no full-time teaching experience left the teaching profession between

2004 and 2005, compared to 8.1% of those with one to three years of experience, 7.9% of those

with four to nine years, 5.5% of teaches with 10 to 19 years, and 11.2% of teachers with 20 or

more years of experience.

Age seems to be another influencing factor, having its greatest affect on the leavers

category. Of respondents over 50, 4.5% left their districts but stayed in teaching, while nearly

15% of teachers under the age of 30 were willing to change districts.

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Teaching status and certificate type also seem to play a role. Part-time teachers stayed

less than full-time (71.6% vs. 84.7%), and left the profession in greater numbers (16.9% vs.

7.5%). Also, people who had no teaching certificate or were granted an emergency certificate

had significantly lower rates of retention within their districts than those with a probationary or

regular certificate, and left the teaching profession altogether at much higher rates (Marvel et al.,

2007).

The TFS study showed the different reasons given as to why individuals in the movers

category decided to leave their school districts, which are summed up in Table 4 of the Teacher

Follow-UP Survey to the SASS section of Appendix: Tables and Graphs. The top reasons given

by public school teachers were – “Opportunity for a better teaching assignment, Dissatisfaction

with support from administration at previous school, and Dissatisfaction with workplace

conditions at previous school.” More that 30% of the teachers sampled rated each of these three

as “very important or extremely important” in their decision to change districts. 46.4% of

private school teachers ranked “Better salary or benefits” as very important or extremely

important, and more than 30% of public school teachers cited Opportunity for a better teaching

assignment” and “Higher job security” as very important or extremely important.

The Follow-Up Survey also explored the different reasons given as to why individuals in

the leavers category decided to leave the teaching profession altogether. The highest percentage

of public school teachers rated “Retirement,” as very important or extremely important; however,

over 25% of respondents within the leaver category cited “To pursue a position other than that of

a k-12 teacher” as very or extremely important. Other top reasons were pregnancy, other family

reasons, and job dissatisfaction. The highest percentage of private school teachers rated “To

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pursue a position other than that of a k-12 teacher” and “Other family or personal reasons” as

very important or extremely important (Marvel et al., 2007, pp. 14-15).

The TFS project looked into the occupation and job status of those individuals who left

the teaching profession after the 2003-04 base year. The data show that 30% of leavers retired,

nearly 30% were still working within education but not as a classroom teacher, and 12% were

working in an occupation outside of the field of education. Of those individuals working outside

of the field of education, 62.7% were employed by a private company, business, or individual.

This information must be viewed with caution, however. According to Marvel et al. the standard

error for this graph is equal to 50% or more of the estimated value, which severely limits the

statistical relevance.

Finally, the TFS compiled data regarding aspects of the leavers current occupations, as

compared to their previous position of classroom teacher, which can be found in Table 8 of the

Teacher Follow-UP Survey to the SASS section of Appendix: Tables and Graphs. Twenty

different job aspects were compared and graded as either better in teaching, better in current

position, or not better or worse. The data were further dissected into working in a position in the

field of education but not as a classroom teacher, and working outside the field of education.

Most of the individuals who were still working in a position in the field of education but

not as a classroom teacher found that the benefits and job security were superior as a teacher, or

not better or worse. However, large numbers of former teachers viewed the Intellectual

challenge, general work conditions, manageability of work load, support from

managers/administration, opportunity for advancement, and amount of control that they had over

their own work as more preferable in their new position.

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The data also show that many of the individuals who left the teaching profession found

that the benefits and opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others were superior within

the field of teaching. In all other 18 categories however, more of the individuals who left the

teaching profession voted “better in current position” than “better in teaching.” There were wide

discrepancies in some areas: In “Professional prestige,” 47% said better in current position while

only 27.7% said better in teaching; In “General working conditions,” 60.9% said better in current

position while only 14% said better in teaching; In “Manageability of workload,” 65.4% said

better in current position while only 17.6% said better in teaching; In “Ability to balance

personal life and work,” 64.7% said better in current position while only 14.1% said better in

teaching. These responses go far in explaining the thought processes of those who decide to

leave classroom teaching (Marvel et al., 2007, p. 16).

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The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Expectations and Experiences.

Since 1984, MetLife has conducted a series of surveys designed to gather data regarding

education, education processes, and the American teacher. In 2006, MetLife carried out the 23rd

A nationally representative sample of 1,001 public school k-12 teachers from throughout

the continental United States were interviewed between March 8

edition of this series.

th, 2006 and March 30th, 2006,

by Harris Interactive, Inc. Also, 500 public school k-12 principals were interviewed between

March 15th, 2006 and April 5th, 2006 and 200 deans and chairpersons of education departments

were interviewed between March 15th, 2005 and April 6th

Data were collected through two different sources, and contained both qualitative and

quantitative elements. First, a quality-control monitored telephone interview system was

employed, called the “CATI” system, or computer-assisted telephone interviewing system. The

questionnaires were programmed into the system with seven specific quality checks, including

question and response series questions, range checks, and consistency checks. Average

completion time was approximately 16 minutes (MetLife, 2006).

, 2006. In order to ensure that the

sample was representative of the overall education population, the sampling data were weighted

to the following four key demographics – school level, gender, religion, and size of place.

The second data collection method employed was focus groups. Harris Interactive, Inc

carried out a series of online bulletin board focus groups. Twenty-four prospective teachers –

individuals who were in an education department and planned on taking a classroom position

within two years - were recruited for the first focus group. Twenty-four former teachers –

individuals who had taught in the k-12 public school system and had left within the last five

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years - made up the second. Each focus group was run over a three day period, during which

time members were asked to respond to pre-set questions, create group discussion, and respond

to each others’ comments. These groups were moderated by a member of the Harris Interactive

quality control staff (MetLife, 2006).

The information obtained from MetLife’s efforts is broad in scope, ranging from

administrative perceptions on the quality of today’s incoming teachers to career and job

satisfaction numbers from current classroom teachers. The following information, graphs, and

explanations will sum up the data that is pertinent to this thesis.

According to MetLife’s most current data, k-12 principals were quite satisfied with the

quality and preparation of the America’s newest teachers. According to Figure 1.4 (found in the

MetLife Survey of the American Teacher section of Appendix: Tables and Graphs), 46% of

principals gave incoming teachers a rating of “excellent,” while 45% gave a rating of “very

good.” Teachers themselves however, seemed less sure. Many new teachers felt that their

expectations did not match with the reality of teaching, which brings into questions their

preparedness. For example, 58% found the number of hours a teacher works each weak to be

worse than expected, 37% found the level of professional prestige to be worse than expected,

and 33% found the pay and benefits to be worse than expected. The research also showed that

more than ¼ of new teachers felt either “not at all prepared” or “not too prepared” to engage

families or work with children of differing ability levels. One-fifth felt unprepared to maintain

order and discipline within their classrooms.

The MetLife survey also explored teachers’ feelings about the state of their profession,

and their satisfaction or dissatisfaction levels. According to their research, teacher job

satisfaction was near an all-time high when the surveys were completed. In 2006, 56% of

ATTRITION 20

teachers claimed to be “very satisfied” with their profession, and 34% stated that they were

“somewhat satisfied.” In comparison, the numbers in 1995 were 54% and 33%, while in 1984,

40% were “very satisfied,” and 40% were “somewhat satisfied” (MetLife, 2006).

Given this information, the data contained in MetLife’s Figure 4.3 does not correlate.

According to MetLife’s data, almost 91% of American teachers are very or somewhat satisfied

with teaching, but 26% are still very or fairly likely to leave the teaching profession within the

next five years – much like 1986, when 27% were very or somewhat likely.

What then, is driving out those individuals who are satisfied with their jobs, but still plan

to leave the profession? According to the MetLife study, there are a number of probable reasons.

First of all, a majority of teachers do not feel that they are being compensated accordingly. The

data show that 64% of teachers - nearly two out of every three – feel that the compensation that

they receive is not fair for the amount of work that they do. Many teachers also feel that they do

not receive adequate support from the parents of their students. The MetLife data shows that

approximately one-half of teachers feel that parental involvement and parental understanding of

the school’s curriculum is “inadequate.” Also, approximately one-third of teachers believe that

parents do not support their school’s discipline policy (MetLife, 2006).

The survey also contains teacher feedback regarding the quality of their teaching

experience, during the school year directly prior to the survey. Figure 3.9, found in the MetLife

Survey of the American Teachers section of Appendix: Tables and Graphs, shows the

accumulated data. As can be seen, 65% of teachers felt that they did not have enough time for

planning and grading, and 60% felt that they did not have enough time to help their students on

an individual basis. In fact, 34% felt that they did not have enough time to complete the

classroom instruction that they desired.

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Finally, the surveys produced data on what teachers themselves believed would be most

helpful in keeping good teachers from leaving the classroom: 92% believed that providing a

commensurate salary would “help a lot,” 82% cited increasing society’s respect level towards

teachers and the teaching profession, 74% wanted to see an increase in the tools and supplies that

teachers need in order to do their jobs, 67% wanted to see more parental involvement in their

schools.

It is interesting to note that there has been little change in teacher responses to these

questions, over the years. In 1985, 94% believed that providing a commensurate salary would

help a lot, 90% wanted to see an increase in society’s respect level towards teachers, 69% wanted

to see an increase in the tools and supplies that teachers need, and 56% wanted to see more

parental involvement in their schools (MetLife, 2006).

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A Sense of Calling: Who Teaches and Why

In 2000, Public Agenda, an independent research organization that focuses on public

policy issues, carried out a survey-based research project on the state of teaching, and teachers,

in America. Public Agenda’s survey sample consisted of public and private teachers and

administrators. Six hundred sixty-four public school teachers and 250 private school teachers

were chosen through a random sample technique from the entire population of U.S. teachers.

The survey focused on the experiences of newer teachers, and therefore screening questions were

utilized to ensure that these teachers had not been in the profession for more than five years.

Five hundred eleven public school administrators were also surveyed. These

administrators were also chosen through random sampling; however, administrators from

districts with more than 2,500 students were oversampled, in order to be more representative of

American demographics. Finally, 802 college graduates below the age of thirty were surveyed.

Three hundred twelve were chosen through a random-digit-dialing system. The other 490

participants were chosen from a list compiled by Survey Sampling, Inc.

Public Agenda engaged in both quantitative and qualitative data collection. In order to

gather broader, qualitative information, researchers utilized a focus group format. Six focus

groups were carried out – three with public school teachers, one with private school teachers, and

two with young (under the age of thirty) professionals from outside the education profession.

Also, telephone interviews were conducted with the public and private school teachers,

administrators, and college graduates under the age of thirty. The interview procedures were

designed by Public Agenda, and utilized questions and quotes gained during the previous focus

groups.

ATTRITION 23

The results of this study bring a different view to the discussion of teacher attrition. To

begin, the authors of this study recognized that there is a nation-wide problem with the retention

of teachers – their research showed that 19% of teachers leave within the first few years. They

do not however, believe that this problem is as severe as others make it out to be. Farkas and

Foleno argued (2000) that while a significant number of teachers leave the profession, those that

choose to stay are highly motivated and highly committed. Their survey of new teachers shows

that 96% of respondents love teaching, and 80% would choose to become a teacher again, if they

had the opportunity to start over. Of these respondents 83% also answered that loving the job is

an essential characteristic of any profession that they would choose.

They also found that while good teachers were leaving, good teachers were also taking

their places. According to the school administrators surveyed, 39% felt that the quality of

incoming teachers has stayed the same in recent years, while 52% felt that the quality has

actually improved (Farkas & Foleno, 2000).

Farkas and Foleno also gathered information on suggested methods for reducing teacher

attrition, and increasing teacher quality. While 75% of respondents felt that teachers were

seriously underpaid, increasing teacher salaries was not at the top of the list. According to their

research, the number one suggestion to increase quality was to reduce class sizes with 86%

responding that this would be a very effective measure. In second place, with 59%, came

requiring teachers to teach in the content area that they majored in. Increasing teacher salaries

came in fourth place. In fact, when given the choice between a school that paid significantly

more and a school where student behavior and parental involvement were significantly better,

86% of the public school teachers and 91% of the private school teachers said that they would

choose the second option (p. 20).

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Farkas and Foleno also studied the role of teacher training programs in this dilemma,

surmising that inadequately prepared teachers would be more likely to feel the pressures and

stresses that can cause attrition. In broad terms, new teachers felt that they were well-trained and

prepared (71%), but further probing brought this result into question. When asked about specific

aspects of their preparation, the survey results showed a different picture. Of new teachers 63%

believed that their training program did a fair to poor job in preparing them to deal with the

pressures and stresses of teaching, 57% believed that their training program did a fair to poor job

in teaching them classroom management/discipline skills, and 30% felt that they were not

adequately trained in teaching effectively (Farkas & Foleno, 2000).

Superintendents and principals agreed with this assessment, as 75% noted that teacher

training programs did a fair to poor job in preparing new teachers to deal with the pressures and

stresses of teaching, 68% noted that they did a fair to poor job in teaching them classroom

management/discipline skills, and 42% noted that new teachers were not adequately trained in

teaching effectively (Farkas & Foleno, 2000).

ATTRITION 25

The primary concept of the Alliance for Excellent Education’s policy brief is that the loss

of talented teachers brings not only educational difficulties to school districts, but economic

difficulties as well. Replacing experienced teachers can of course be difficult and time

consuming, but many do not consider the cost involved in recruiting and training replacement

educators.

Teacher attrition: A Costly loss to the Nation and to the States.

The Alliance for Excellent Education did not carry out primary research. Data for this

policy brief came from a number of sources, most notably the U.S. Department of Education and

the U.S. Department of Labor. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor asserts that school

districts experience a financial loss when teachers leave, equal to approximately 30% of their

annual salary (Alliance, 2005). By applying this formula to teacher dropout rates acquired from

The National Center for Education Statistics’ 2004-05 Teacher Follow-up Survey, The Alliance

compiled a state-by-state listing of teacher attrition costs.

They found considerable variance between states. According to the study’s findings, the

greatest loss was recorded by Texas, who had 19,034 teachers leave the profession and 25,768

teachers transfer to other schools, after the 2004-05 school year, for a total estimated cost of

$504,917,385. The smallest financial loss was attributed to North Dakota, which had 398

teachers leave the profession and 554 teachers transfer to other schools, after the 2004-05 school

year, for a total estimated cost of $8,529,097. The state of Michigan had 4,558 teachers leave the

profession and 7,610 move districts after the 2004-05 school year, for a combined estimated cost

of $179,028,746. Nationwide, the estimated non-retirement attrition cost was $4,867,879,421

(Alliance, 2005).

ATTRITION 26

The Alliance for Excellent Education’s findings show that constant turnover within a

district’s classrooms can be financially costly; however, they do not address some important

variables. First, the authors utilize an average-cost formula, which means that some district’s

costs will be above the “30% of a teacher’s annual salary” cited, while some will be lower. Also,

they have accumulated state-by-state costs, but did not further dissect their information. Their

study is simply not as effective as it could be, without knowing how their data demographically

breaks down – urban vs. rural vs. suburban, affluent vs. low-income, etc.

ATTRITION 27

The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School Districts: A Pilot Study

In 2007, Barnes, Crowe, and Schaefer published the results of a survey project involving

five different school districts, carried out for the National Commission on Teaching and

America’s Future (NCTAF). Barnes et al. collected financial and human resources data from

three urban and two rural school districts. Prior to data collection, representatives from the

NCTAF visited with the administration and/or human relations department at each of the five

school districts. The meetings were held to explain precisely what data would be needed in order

to complete the NCTAF pilot study. Each district was then left to accumulate the data as they

wished.

Data on teachers and teacher turnover were collected by each district for the 2002-03 and

2003-04 school years, in order to find those individuals who either moved within their districts,

or left their districts completely. Financial statistics were compiled by each district for the 2003-

04 school year, as resources expended during this time would be based on turnover from the

previous year.

According to the study’s findings, each of the five districts showed significant turnover in

their teaching staffs. Table T-4, found in the “Cost of Teacher Turnover” section of Appendix:

Tables and Graphs, shows that between movers – staff that changed schools within a district –

and leavers – those that left their district altogether – the overall turnover rates varied severely.

The two smallest districts were at the extremes; the Jemez Valley Public Schools (JVPS) had a

turnover rate of nearly 43%, and the Santa Rosa Public Schools (SRPS) had a compiled turnover

rate of 15.5%. Turnover rates for the three urban schools came in at 16.5% for Granville County

Schools (GCS), 17.4% for the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and a startling 30.2% for the

Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

ATTRITION 28

The NCTAF Pilot Study examined teacher turnover through number of different

variables as well, including gender and age. The most germane data examined turnover rates as

compared to levels of teaching experience. Table T-14 shows that the highest rates of turnover

for each of the three urban schools came from those who had zero to five years of teaching

experience. For the two rural schools, there was no such pattern.

There is a problem, however, with the sample size involved with this study. The three

urban schools had a significant data pool; however, JVPS had only 41 teachers, and SRPS had

only 58, which are too small to be statistically relevant. Also, this study only deals with one year

of data. Without corroborating information, it is difficult to draw specific conclusions.

Barnes et al. also researched the costs that each of the five districts accrued due to teacher

turnover. Each district was asked to compile all available information on eight different cost

categories; recruitment, hiring, administrative processing, training for first-time teachers, training

for new hires, training for all teachers, costs associated with the learning curve of new teachers,

and the costs of transfers within the district. Also, four focus schools were chosen from each

district, and each were asked to supply data on the same eight categories. Barnes et al. suggested

that by taking the per teacher amount each district spent, and adding it to the average per teacher

cost for the four focus schools, a total per teacher cost can be derived for each of the five subject

school districts.

The authors ran into serious problems when assessing the accumulated data. They were

able to report that CPS had a per leaver average district cost of $9,501; however, they were not

given any information from the four focus schools, and therefore could not report an accurate

total per leaver cost. MPS were able to report a per leaver average of $8,371 for the focus

schools, but only an $861 average from the district, because the district was unable to give an

ATTRITION 29

accurate account on most of the eight categories. SRPS were unable to report any data

whatsoever, and therefore no estimate could be reached. Only two districts, the GCS and JVPS,

were able to send a full financial report. The GCS found that they accrued $6,233 in district

costs per leaver, and $3,642 in average costs from their focus schools, for a total per leaver cost

of $9,875. The JVPS were able to report $4,366 in per leaver district costs. They had no focus

school information, but are still considered to be fully reported. Due to the small size of their

district (only 41 teachers in the entire district), all finances were handled at the district level

(Barnes et al., 2007).

It should be mentioned again, that the sample-size for the rural schools is rather small and

the financial data reported were only from one year, which are major deficiencies in this pilot

study.

ATTRITION 30

Synthesis of Literature

After reviewing the available literature, certain themes and trends became apparent. To

begin, there is a general agreement that teacher attrition is a problem in the education profession.

For example, the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher found that even though 90% of

teachers surveyed claimed to be either very or somewhat satisfied with the teaching profession,

26% said that they are still very or fairly likely to leave the teaching profession within the next

five years (MetLife, 2006). In the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll, the great majority of

respondents were in favor of a long list of efforts to keep experienced teachers in their

classrooms. The information accumulated by the NCES in the Teacher Follow-UP Survey also

showed that this has been a growing trend. As can be seen in Table:1 of the Teacher Follow-UP

Survey to the SASS section of the Appendix, the percentage of people leaving the teaching

profession has been growing. After the 1988-89 school year, 5.6% of the public school teaching

population left the profession. After the 1994-95 school year, the number had climbed to 6.6%.

By 2004-05, the rate had reached 8.4%. The closest a source came to disagreeing with this was

A Sense of Calling: Who Teaches and Why. The authors concluded that while a significant

number of individuals are leaving teaching every year, those that stay are highly motivated and

caring professionals.

Also, there is a disconnect between perception and reality in many of the sources studied,

or at least a level of confusion in their response data. In A National Priority…, the most

supported methods for improving educational effectiveness were improving teacher quality,

increasing school accountability, and increased funding (p. 7). According to the same study

however, the top answer to the question “What is responsible for the schools’ problems?” was

“Lack of parental involvement” (p. 6). Also, in A Sense of Calling… 71% of new teachers felt

ATTRITION 31

that they were well-trained and well-prepared to enter the classroom as a teacher. 63% of these

same respondents however, believed that their training program did a fair to poor job in

preparing them to deal with the pressures and stresses of teaching, while 57% believed that their

training program did a fair to poor job in teaching them classroom management/discipline skills.

Thirty percent of this same group even felt that they were not adequately trained to teach

effectively (Farkas & Foleno, 2000). In order to clarify this situation, there is a need for more

point specific data, with guided research questions that address such inconsistencies. If these

data conflicts persist, it may point to a need for an increase in efforts to educate the general

public on educational topics.

Another issue that has become apparent is the need for more research on teacher attrition.

While researching the topic it would appear that dozens of sources can be found. Nearly all of

these resources are secondary, however. Upon examination of their bibliographies, most cite the

same small sampling of primary research data. There is a clear need for more financial data as

well. The few studies that have attempted to put a monetary figure to the loss of experienced

teachers are incomplete or statistically irrelevant. Some give state by state figures, but do not

break the information down into counties or school districts. Others use small, statistically

inconsequential samplings.

It is also clear that the general population wants to see a solution to this problem, and is

willing to sacrifice in order to achieve that solution. In the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll,

pollsters found that Americans are in favor of a litany of reforms to keep teachers in their

classrooms including smaller class sizes (95%), financial incentives for teachers (92%),

increasing professional development opportunities (92%), and providing higher salaries for new

teachers (87%) (p. 43). The authors of A National Priority… found that not only did a vast

ATTRITION 32

majority of people favor an increase in continuing education courses for teachers, encouraging

other professionals to enter teaching, and increasing teacher salaries, but 80% were in favor of

increasing teacher salaries even if it meant that they would have to pay higher taxes because of it

(Hart & Teeter, 2002). Teachers themselves want to see a solution to this problem, and have

weighed in on what they believe would be the most effective in increasing teacher retention.

“Providing a decent salary” was one of the most commonly cited solutions, but “providing more

respect for teachers in today’s society, providing better tools and supplies teachers need to do

their job,” and “reducing the amount of time teachers spend in non-teaching duties” (MetLife,

2006, p. 90).

Finally, upon reviewing the available literature it became clear that while many do

choose to leave their classrooms, it is rarely because of the “teaching” aspects of the job. In fact,

most teachers share an enthusiasm for their profession and a love of their students. The MetLife

survey illustrates this point. According to the author’s findings, in 2006 90% of teachers were

very or somewhat satisfied with teaching as a career. Their research data goes back to 1984, and

the lowest rate was in 1985 at 79% (MetLife, 2006). Also, many of the top rated complaints

registered by respondents to the MetLife survey had to do with limitations on their teaching

effectiveness, such as not having enough time for planning, and not having enough time to give

individualized aid to each student. In A Sense of Calling…, 86% of teachers report that those

who enter the teaching profession have a “true sense of calling” (p. 40). In the same study, the

authors found that if teachers were given the choice between higher pay and a school with

increased parental support, 86% said that they would prefer the latter. 82% would take a school

with supportive administrators over higher pay. In the Teacher Follow-Up Survey... individuals

who left the teaching profession rated the reasons for their departure. “Dissatisfied with teaching

ATTRITION 33

as a career” was one of the least cited reasons, at 14.6% (Marvel et al., 2007, p. 14). This trend

is one of the most pertinent to the discussion of teacher attrition. It shows that while the

problems facing teachers cause some to leave, the job itself is still considered worthy by those

involved. Also, knowing that the act of teaching itself is not a cause of attrition can help guide

the problem-solving attempts of districts and administrators, by focusing their efforts. Every part

of the job does not need to change; however, certain aspects must be addressed.

The resources outlined in chapter two put a face to the problem of teacher attrition by

describing the experiences of thousands of American teachers. These statistics not only show the

nationwide attitudes of American educators; they can be used for comparison to the independent

and local research described in chapters three and four.

ATTRITION 34

CHAPTER III

EXPLANATION OF INDEPENDENT DATA COLLECTION

Reviewing the national statistics regarding teacher attrition helps to clarify the causes and

effects of this dilemma; however, national data are not always reflective of local beliefs. In order

to collect corresponding information at the local level, independent data collection occurred.

Independent data were collected through two means – an online survey of current teachers, as

well as personal interviews with former k-12 classroom teachers who left the profession for

reasons other than retirement.

To begin, a survey was created and placed on surveymonkey.com. Administrators at the

three largest schools in Houghton and Keweenaw counties were emailed a request to inform their

teaching staff about the survey, and ask them to go to the web site and take the voluntary,

confidential survey. No names or identifiers such as social security numbers were asked for.

Forty-nine people completed the survey.

The survey consisted of the following questions:

1. How long have you been a k-12 teacher? At which grade level do you teach?

2. What is the highest degree that you have attained?

3. Have you ever, during your career, considered leaving the k-12 teaching profession?

4. If yes to #3 above, then what were the primary factors that lead to your considering leaving?

5. If yes to #3 above - why did you decide to stay in k-12 education?

6. Why did you originally want to go into education?

7. Before you became a teacher, what were you expectations regarding the profession? How did

reality differ?

ATTRITION 35

8. Do you believe that your teacher education classes and student teaching adequately prepared

you for the realities of teaching? If no, then how do you feel they could have been better?

9. What do you like most about teaching? The least?

10. How long do you plan to continue teaching?

Individualized research was also conducted through five in-person interviews with former

k-12 classroom teachers, who left the profession for reasons other than retirement. Local

administrators were contacted, and were asked about former faculty that had left the teaching

profession. These former staffers were then contacted either by phone or by email, where their

participation was then requested.

Each interview took place in a private and secure setting, such as the participant's home.

The interviews were audio taped. In order to maximize participant anonymity, no names were

recorded during the interview process, and no personal identifiers such as social security

numbers were asked for. Each interview took between fifteen and twenty minutes. The

audiotapes and transcripts of said tapes are kept in numerically labeled files, in a locked file

cabinet. The list of names that correspond with the numeric labels is kept in a different, locked,

cabinet.

Each participant was asked the following interview questions:

1. How long did you teach?

2. At what grade level did you teach?



ATTRITION 36

5. Before you became a teacher, what were you expectations regarding the profession?

6. How did reality differ from your expectations?

7. Do you believe that your teacher education classes and student teaching adequately prepared

you for the realities of teaching?

8. If you answered no to number 7, do you have suggestions as to how you could have been more

properly prepared?

9. What did you like most about teaching? The least?

10. Why did you leave teaching - e.g. what were the primary factors that lead to your departure?

11. What are you doing (professionally) now?

Forty-nine current teachers from Michigan’s Copper Country answered questions

regarding their personal feelings on the subject of teacher attrition, and five former teachers did

the same. Their insights create a picture of the similarities and differences that the Copper

Country’s local teachers share with their national counterparts, regarding the teaching profession

and the causes of teacher attrition.

ATTRITION 37

CHAPTER IV

EPLANATION OF RESULTS OF INDEPENDENT DATA COLLECTION

In both the online survey and the personal interviews participants were asked for baseline

demographic data, and then were asked to relate their personal feelings regarding the teaching

profession. Their responses have been recorded in this chapter.

Response Data for Online Survey:

1. a) How long have you been a k-12 teacher?

Of the 49 respondents:

1 year = 3 6 years =4 11 years =2 16 years =0 21 years =2 26 years =2 2 years = 1 7 years =2 12 years =4 17 years =0 22 years =0 27 years =0 3 years =1 8 years =2 13 years =2 18 years =1 23 years =1 28 years =0 4 years =0 9 years =2 14 years =0 19 years =1 24 years =0 29 years =1 5 years =0 10 years =1 15 years =3 20 years =3 25 years =1 30+ years=10

b) At which grade level do you teach?

Elementary 25 responses

Middle 5 responses High 18 responses

Administration 1 response


Level Attained:

Number: Percentage of total:

Associates 1 2.0 Bachelors 21 42.9 Masters 25 51.0

ATTRITION 38

Ed Specialist 3 6.1 PhD 0 0.0 Other 8* 16.3

*Responses from “other” included: “double masters, MA +18, almost finished masters, 19 post grad credits, double bachelors degree, 50+ credits beyond Masters, +15, and 75 hours past bachelors for Special Ed. endorsements.”

3. Have you ever, during your career, considered leaving the k-12 teaching profession?

Response: Number: Percentage of total:

YES 17 34.7 NO 32 65.3

4. If yes to #3 above, then what were the primary factors that lead to your considering

leaving?

The 17 of the 49 survey respondents who answered “YES” to question 3 also chose to answer

this question. These 17 individuals generated 22 separate reasons, or primary factors:

Reason/Primary factor:

Number of times mentioned: Percentage of total:

Discipline/Students 2 9.1 Low pay 3 13.6

Long hours 2 9.1 Lack of Administrative support/Weak Admin.

4 18.2

Stress 2 9.1 Parents 2 9.1

Lack of respect 2 9.1 Paperwork 2 9.1

Other* 3 13.6 *Responses from “other” included: “I moved and was having difficulty getting an interview for a teaching job in my new location, desire to try new things, Other interests.”

5. If yes to #3 above - why did you decide to stay in k-12 education?

ATTRITION 39

21 of the 49 survey participants answered this question, generating 24 separate reasons.

Reason for staying:


Enjoy teaching/Rewarding job 10 41.7 Stability of the job 2 8.3

Love working with kids 4 16.7 Summers off, holidays, etc. 3 12.5

Other* 5 20.1 *Responses from “other” included: “I went to a school district that had a strong administrator, I was hired at the last minute, Administration changed for the better, variety of teaching challenges, and logistics.”


49 of the 49 survey participants answered this question, generating 52 separate reasons. Reason for going into education:


To work with kids 20 38.5 Job security/stability 2 3.8 Inspired by a teacher 4 7.7

To make a difference/give back 5 9.6 To share knowledge/inspire others 5 9.6

Always wanted to teach 4 7.7 Love to learn/ thought I would

enjoy it 4 7.7

To have summers free 2 3.8 Other* 6 17.3

*Responses from “other” included: “it's my gift and passion, In the old days you either became a teacher, secretary, nurse or housewife, Happenstance – just fell into it, This profession fits my personality, I enjoy working with others, and I was bored with being a researcher.”

7. Before you became a teacher, what were you expectations regarding the profession? How

did reality differ?

ATTRITION 40

The answers gained from this section of the web-survey were numerous and ranged widely – too

widely to be summed up through a few categories. The data did show some points of

commonality that can be used for comparison, however.

• 81.6% of respondents said that teaching was not what they had expected. Only 18.4 % said that teaching was “as expected.”

• 14.3% answered that they had erroneous expectations of students, while 16.3% of those taking the survey felt that parents did not match their expectations.

• 44.9% of respondents felt that teaching was more difficult or more challenging

than they had originally expected.

8. a) Do you believe that your teacher education classes and student teaching

adequately prepared you for the realities of teaching?


YES 12 24.5 NO 37 75.5

b) If no, then how do you feel they could have been better?

37 individuals answered “NO” to part A of question 8. Therefore, the percentage given below

will be a percent of 37.

Proposed change:


Expanded student teaching, classroom observations

11 29.7

More focus on practical, such as legal stuff, design lessons from real curriculum, etc

11 29.7

Training in dealing with parents, families

2 5.4

Behavioral problem/ classroom management

11 29.7

ATTRITION 41

training 9. a) What do you like most about teaching?

All 49 respondents answered question 9, part a.

Like Most:


Working with kids 22 44.9 Watching students achieve 22 44.9

The job itself 4 8.2 Other* 3 6.1

*Responses from “other” included: “I really like the people I work with, I like that you get a new set of students every year, and The constant learning I am doing.”

b) The least?

All 49 respondents answered question 9, part b.

Like Least:


Behavior problems/discipline 5 10.2 Dealing with parents 6 12.2 Grading/Paperwork! 12 24.5

The “hoops” and politics 11 22.4 Lack of personal time 3 6.1

Lack of job security/Budget cutbacks

2 4.1

Other* 9 14.3 *Responses from “other” included: “Pissant administrators, I don't like the lack of motivation on the part of some students, I like least are the continuing ed classes, Standardized testing, The narrowing of creativity and talent, I don't like the lack of respect for the profession, and I find it frustrating to have people on board who are not giving 100%, whether it be administration or staff.” *Two responses could not be deciphered.

10. How long do you plan to continue teaching?


ATTRITION 42

Until retirement 26 53.1

Unsure 10 20.4 Other* 13 26.5

*Responses that fit under “other” were those where the answer could not be used to determine its fit within one of the other two categories. Example response from other: “4 years.”

Interpreting the data:

Local data collections do not generally translate to the state or national level; however

with forty-nine respondents, this data collection does give some insight into the thought

processes of nearly fifty local teachers, and can be used to draw local conclusions.

To begin with, the data shows that seventeen of the forty-nine teachers surveyed, or

34.7%, had considered leaving the teaching profession at some point during their careers – a

significant percentage. Of these seventeen, eight came from the elementary level, eight from the

high school level, and had a diverse range of reasons for considering leaving. The most

commonly expressed reason was a lack of administrative support; however, it was closely

followed by the low pay that teachers receive. Six other reasons were tied for third place,

including dealing with student behavior, long hours, stress, dealing with parents, the lack of

respect given to teachers, and the endless paperwork. These answers mirror data found both in

the interview section of this thesis, as well as research carried out by others.

The survey results also bring into question the methodology used by college education

departments in preparing future teachers. The seventeen respondents who had considered

leaving teaching almost unanimously agreed that their education classes did not adequately

prepare them for the realities of the teaching profession (14 of 17). 75.5% of the forty-nine total

respondents answered the same.

ATTRITION 43

Responses from question seven support the idea of a lack of teacher preparation during

their education classes. When asked how their beliefs regarding the education profession met

with reality, 81.6% said that teaching was not what they had expected; only 18.4 % said that

teaching was “as expected.”

The survey participants gave a number of suggestions for improving education programs

and increasing new teacher preparedness. Many mentioned, for example, altering coursework to

diminish theoretical pedagogical studies in favor of a greater focus on practical concepts such as

lesson design, legal issues within education, and increased training in dealing with behavioral

problems and classroom management. Many respondents also mentioned expanding knowledge

of the realities of the teaching profession by increasing classroom observation time, expanding

student teaching time, and having access to actual classroom teachers for consultation.

The survey data also corroborate the findings regarding why people teach, expressed in

the literature review. According to the findings of the online survey, the number one reason that

people go into the education profession is to work with kids, followed by a desire to make a

difference. A desire to have summers off and the security of tenure were both near the bottom of

the list. Also, when asked what they most liked about teaching, nearly 45% of respondents

answered “working with kids,” while the same number answered “watching students achieve.”

This may help to explain why so many of the teachers who consider leaving the profession

decide to remain in education.

ATTRITION 44

Response Data for the Personal Interviews:

1. How long did you teach?

Respondent: Response: Subject A 3 and 3/4 years Subject B 2 years Subject C 10 years Subject D 12 years Subject E 2 years, plus 2 summers

2. At what grade level did you teach?

Respondent: Response: Subject A 9-12 (Biology, Phys Science, AP Subject B 9-12 (math and physics) Subject C Middle School - 5th to 8th grade (social studies) Subject D 9-12 (physics, chemistry, calculus) Subject E 9-12 (physics, chemistry, computers, physical science, algebra)


Respondent: Response: Subject A PHD Subject B PHD Subject C Masters Degree Subject D Masters of Science Subject E Masters Degree


Respondent: Response: Subject A Lifetime learner who enjoyed school, interaction with kids,

opportunities to coach, wanted to help young kids. Subject B University had accelerated ed. program, didn't know what else to do

with masters in physics. Subject C Always wanted to be a teacher. Loves children. Subject D Wanted to teach - liked the lifestyle, wanted to start a family, liked

the "idea" of teaching. Had a lot of teachers he/she admired. Subject E Didn't want to sit in a cubicle, really enjoyed working with kids

previously, as a swim coach.

ATTRITION 45

5. Before you became a teacher, what were you expectations regarding the profession?

Respondent: Response: Subject A Pictured lots of interaction and learning, dynamic classroom.

Pictured wonderful environment. Subject B Both of parents are teachers - had the concept that education was

teaching a learning process. Subject C Dreamed that all students would sit quietly, "soaking up every

word." Grading would be fun, students would want to learn. Never thought of dealing with parents.

Subject D Thought all students would be excited to learn. Subject E Had heard that the pay was low, but that you would be making a

difference. Opportunity to share something that they were passionate about.

6. How did reality differ from your expectations?

Respondent: Response: Subject A Lots more paper-pushing than expected. Misjudged amount of

disciplinary issues and distractions. Amount of grading and paperwork.

Subject B Uncomfortable with other teachers, so much younger than them. Administration problems, ongoing professional development.

Subject C Shocked by grading/paperwork load. Shocked by amount of time needed to prepare on a daily basis. Was not prepared for the politics involved.

Subject D Much more time demanding than expected, students were more diverse in background than expected.

Subject E In classroom, frustrated by lack of student, family, and administrative expectations. Job became about "motivating appropriate behavior."

7. Do you believe that your teacher education classes and student teaching adequately

prepared you for the realities of teaching?

Respondent: Response: Subject A No, not at all. Subject B Some yes, some no. To many mandatory classes that didn't apply. Subject C Did a good job in preparing me in a sheltered setting - mainstream

average intelligence kid. Was not prepared for special needs and/or gifted kids. Felt lacking content-wise.

ATTRITION 46

Subject D No. Lacking in classroom management. Subject E Thought so at first, but not prepared for the reality of the educational

landscape and politics involved.

8. If you answered no to number 7, do you have suggestions as to how you could have been

more properly prepared?

Respondent: Response: Subject A Have actual teachers come in to talk to the class about what teaching

is really like. More interaction with actual high school teachers. Subject B Would like to see more focus on subject matter. Does not think that

today's teachers are really experts in their fields. Subject C Getting students into the classroom as much as they can, having

them spend time in overlapping areas (elementary and middle, or middle and high)

Subject D Stress classroom management systems and procedures, learn from real-life examples. Develop teacher-mentor system within districts for new teachers (district, not ed. department responsibility).

Subject E "The more time that they can spend in a real education environment, the better." Also, less generalities and more academic discipline-specific information would have helped.

9. What did you like most about teaching? The least?

Respondent: Response: Subject A Most: Energy level and enthusiasm of some kids. Making an

impact. Least: Discipline issues, paperwork, games you have to play (NCA), wasn't personally/professionally challenged enough.

Subject B Most: Daily process of working with students, getting them to feel more confident with the material, showing real world applications. Least: Administrative runaround, having to handle parents. Drama.

Subject C Most: Interaction with the kids, seeing the light bulb go on. Creativity. Least: Paperwork, and never having enough time! Having to take a lot of work home.

Subject D Most: Liked the students, liked planning lessons, even liked grading papers. Least: Having to deal with discipline issues, non-supportive families.

Subject E Most: Loved working with the kids. Loved seeing kids develop and

ATTRITION 47

mature. Least: Was treated like "one of the kids;" lack of trust from the administration. Wasn't even allowed to have keys to his/her own classroom.

10. Why did you leave teaching - e.g. what were the primary factors that lead to your

departure?

Respondent: Response: Subject A Discipline issues, grading/paperwork. Subject B Unhappy with administration, classroom management problems,

unhappy with changing nature of education (standardized testing) Subject C Felt like after 6 or 7 years, things got easy. Was ready for a new

challenge. Subject D Frustrated - did not feel like there was enough time to adequately

prepare quality lessons. Too much extra work outside of school. Subject E Left to get Master's degree. Had planned to return to the high school

classroom, however opportunities opened up at the collegiate level. Would still consider returning, but feels that the licensing process too difficult to navigate.

11. What are you doing (professionally) now?

Respondent: Response: Subject A University professor and department chair. Subject B College professor. Subject C Works for ISD, in multiple roles. Subject D Sets up professional development for teachers, through ISD. Subject E University professor.

Interpreting the data:

The personal interviews yielded similar results to the online surveys. To begin with, all

five of the interview subjects felt that their teacher preparation programs had been in some way

lacking, ranging from not enough of a focus on content-knowledge, to incomplete instruction on

classroom management. In order to address these perceived deficiencies, each had their own

ATTRITION 48

suggestions. Subjects A and C wanted to see education departments increase the amount of time

their students spend in real classrooms, and have actual classroom teachers visit methods classes

to discuss the realities of the profession. Subject B suggested that today’s teachers are not truly

experts within their academic fields, and wanted to see more focus on subject matter training.

Subject D felt that today’s education departments should stress classroom management training.

There were also large discrepancies between their preconceptions of the teaching

profession, and the realities that they encountered as a classroom teacher - for example, the

amount of paperwork, grading, and out-of-school work required was a surprise to almost all of

the interviewees. Also, the “politics” of the education system were surprising to some.

Difficulties dealing with other teachers, administration problems, and professional development

issues were all mentioned. The students themselves were not what a majority of them expected,

either. The amount and difficulty of discipline issues was a surprise to a number of the interview

subjects, and all of them discussed the disappointment that they felt when they found that many

of their students were unhappy and unmotivated.

Each interviewee was also asked what primary factors lead to their deciding to leave k-12

teaching. Subject A was tired of dealing with discipline issues, and felt that he/she was spending

too much time out of school preparing for lessons and doing paperwork. Subject B was also

tired of dealing with classroom management problems, and was unhappy with the administration

at his/her school. Subject C felt that teaching had become familiar and easy, and was looking for

a new challenge. Subject D left the classroom out of frustration – they did not feel like there was

ever enough time to adequately prepare quality lessons, and were taking too much work home.

The last respondent, Subject E, left to go to graduate school and had actually planned on

ATTRITION 49

returning to the classroom. After completion of a Master’s degree, opportunities opened up to

teach at the university level.

The answers from both the online survey and the personal interviews show that there are

a multitude of different reasons why teachers from Michigan’s Copper Country have considered

leaving the teaching profession, and why some of them did. While each person is unique and has

their own perspective, together they show impressions of over fifty local teachers and former

teachers.

ATTRITION 50

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

According to the 2007 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, nearly 91% of American

teachers are very or somewhat satisfied with their jobs, and yet 26% say that they are still very or

fairly likely to leave the teaching profession within the next five years (p. 67).

It is clear that the American education system has a problem with teacher attrition, and

losing these teachers has a definite effect on our education system. First there is the loss of

teaching efficiency – replacing veteran teachers with new additions to the teaching profession

means a loss of experience, and often times a loss of teaching talent. When this occurs, students

are not getting the highest quality education possible, especially when one considers that often

times the individuals who leave the teaching profession are the highly motivated and most

qualified, because they have the easiest time finding work outside of the education profession

(Alliance, 2005).

There are also financial losses produced by this constant turnover. Studies such as the

Alliance for Excellent Education: August 2005, IssueBrief: Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to

the Nation and to the States, and The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School Districts: A Pilot

Study show that school districts have to spend limited resources on recruiting and training

replacement educators when teachers leave. In some states, the total cost of replacing these

individuals is in the hundreds of millions of dollars - quite a burden for school districts, who are

already facing financial difficulties.

After recognizing this, the question then becomes “Why?” The information collected in

the literature review shows the national data. In order to successfully understand such a problem

however, one must grasp the local reasons as well. The responses garnered through this author’s

ATTRITION 51

independent research shows how teachers in Michigan’s Copper Country compare to the national

statistics.

For some, the pay is simply too low. Many of the teachers surveyed at the national level

felt that their pay-level was too low for the amount of work that they were asked to do. It can be

argued that money is not the primary factor, however. Many of the respondents who left the

teaching profession found that the benefits package within the field of teaching was superior to

the benefits available within their new professions. In fact, in most surveys average pay level

was not cited as a top reason for leaving the field, such as Teacher Follow-UP Survey to the

SASS, where insufficient pay was ranked eighth.

Local responses regarding salary mirrored the national data. Of the online survey

respondents who had considered leaving teaching, only 13.6% cited “low pay” as a primary

factor. None of the five personal interview subjects claimed that low pay had been a primary

reason in their decision to leave classroom teaching.

At the local level, some became increasingly frustrated from dealing with classroom

management issues and disciplinary actions. In many school districts, a substantial number of

students are disinterested with school, or have behavioral issues. One interviewee described their

frustration by saying that the job “became about motivating appropriate behavior," and not

motivating students to learn. In the nationwide MetLife survey, 39% of the teachers involved

stated that “disorderly student behavior” is a serious problem (p. 56).

For others, lack of support was a major issue. Some felt that their administration did not

support them in dealing with classroom discipline; others felt as if they had been abandoned by

parents who dissolved themselves of any responsibility for dealing with their children’s actions

during school hours. Many teachers felt that their state governments had forgotten them as well,

ATTRITION 52

through decreasing monetary support for public schools. Locally, “lack of administrative

support” was noted by 18.2% of the online respondents who had considered leaving teaching as a

contributing factor, and 22.4% marked administrative politics as their least favorite thing about

teaching.

One of the most commonly cited factors by those who left the k-12 classroom however,

was the amount of personal time taken up by the job. Surveys such as the SASS have found

while the average teacher spends approximately twenty-eight hours on classroom instruction,

they spend another twenty-five hours on other school related activities (p. 149). In other studies,

65% of teachers have said that they did not have enough time for planning and grading, and 60%

felt that they did not have enough time to help their students on an individual basis. In fact, 34%

felt that they did not have enough time to complete the classroom instruction that they desired

(MetLife, 2006, p. 52). Also, “paperwork,” “grading,” or “too much extra work outside of

school,” was mentioned as a primary factor leading to their leaving the k-12 classroom by almost

every one of the independent research interview subjects.

ATTRITION 53

RECOMMENDATION

Data collection efforts such as The 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll and The

MetLife Survey of the American Teacher asked teachers themselves, what would be the most

effective measures in reducing teacher attrition rates. In some cases, “providing a decent salary”

was the top suggestion (MetLife, 2006, p.89). This would not however, address the primary

reasons that teachers leave their classrooms. As mentioned above, pay-level was rarely listed as

a top reason for leaving the field, especially in the local surveys. In order to effectively deal with

the problem of teacher attrition, measures should address the actual reasons that people leave.

First of all, teachers must have assistance in dealing with classroom management issues

and disciplinary referrals. Parents and administrators must take a larger role in handling problem

students, or at least giving more support to teachers so that they can handle these problems

themselves. Also, our university education departments must focus more on teaching

appropriate classroom management strategies, to better equip new teachers in handling these

problems. It has also been suggested that since there is usually a plethora of applications to

education programs, perhaps universities should attempt to discourage applicants without the

necessary personal skills.

Next, the issue of time management and preparation time needs to be addressed. Being a

teacher is a time-consuming job, and that will not change. Many teachers, however, are losing

their in-school preparation periods in order to reduce staff requirements and diminish budget

shortfalls. Some grading and paperwork will always be taken home, but classroom teachers

often leave the profession because they feel that they cannot devote enough of their private time

to their families.

ATTRITION 54

Finally, university education departments must instruct teacher-candidates on the realities

of what they will face as an educator. One of the most obvious points of commonality among

those who took part in the independent research was the disconnect between their expectations of

teaching, and what being a teacher was actually like - 81.6% of respondents said that teaching

was not what they had expected. Many young people enter the profession thinking that students

will sit quietly at their desks, enraptured by lessons, and all parents will be helpful and friendly.

Others dream about short work days, and summers off. Until new teachers go into the classroom

with their eyes open regarding students, families, and the state of the American education

system, we will continue to see high levels of teacher attrition.

ATTRITION 55

REFERENCES

Alliance for Excellent Education. (2005). Teacher attrition: A costly Loss to the Nation and to

Barnes, G., Crowe, E., & Schaefer, B. (2007). The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School

the States. [Electronic Version] Issue Brief.

http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/TeacherAttrition.pdf.

Districts: A Pilot Study. Washington, DC: National Commission on Teaching and

America's Future, 2007.

Cheeseman, D. & Newburger, E. (2002). The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic

Estimates of Work-Life Earning. Washington DC: US Census Bureau.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p23-210.pdf

Farkas, S., Johnson, J., & Foleno, T. (2000). A Sense of Calling: Who Teaches and Why. New

York: Public Agenda. http://www.publicagenda.org/reports/sense-calling.

Hart, P.D. and Teeter, R.M. (2002). A National Priority: Americans Speak on Teacher Quality.

Princeton, NJ: ETS. http://ftp.ets.org/pub/corp/survey2002.pdf.

Lambert, L. (2006). Half of Teachers Quit in 5 Years. Washington DC: Washington Post

Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/

2006/05/08/AR2006050801344_pf.html

Mark, J., & Anderson, B. (1978). Teacher survival rates: A current look.

Educational Research Journal, 15(3), 379-382.

American

Marvel, J., Lyter, D., Peltola, P., Strizek, G., & Morton, B. (2007). Teacher Attrition and

Mobility: Results from the 2004-2005 Teacher Follow-up Survey. Washington DC: US

Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/2007307.pdf

MetLife Inc. (2006). The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Expectations and

ATTRITION 56

Experiences. New York: MetLife.

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2

9/e5/ac.pdf

Rose, L., & Gallup, A. The 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes

Toward the Public Schools. Phi Delta Kappan, September 2007.

http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/eGALLUP/kpoll_pdfs/pdkpol

l39_2007.pdf

Strizek, G., Pittsonberger, J., Riordan, K., Lyster, D., Orlofsky, G., & and Gruber, K. (2007).

Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers, Principals, and School Libraries in the

United States 2003-2004: Schools and Staffing Survey. Washington DC: US Department

of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006313.pdf

ATTRITION 57

APPENDIX:

TABLES AND GRAPHS

School and Staffing Survey

Table 18:

ATTRITION 58

Source: School and Staffing Survey, pp. 47-48.

Table 20:

ATTRITION 59


ATTRITION 60

Table 23:


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Table 26:


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Teacher Follow-UP Survey to the SASS

Table 1:

Source: Teacher Follow-UP Survey, pg. 7.

ATTRITION 63

Table 2:

Source: Teacher Follow-UP Survey, pp. 8, 9.

ATTRITION 64

Table 4:


ATTRITION 65

Table 6:


ATTRITION 66

Table 7:


ATTRITION 67

Table 8:


ATTRITION 68

The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher

Figure 1.4:

Source: MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, pg. 17.

ATTRITION 69

Figure 2.1:


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Figure 2.11:


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Figure 3.2:


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Figure 4.3:


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Figure 3.5:


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Figure 3.12:


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Figure 3.9:


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Figure 6.2:


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Alliance for Excellent Education

ATTRITION 78

ATTRITION 79

Source: Alliance for Excellent Education: August 2005, IssueBrief: Teacher Attrition: A Costly

Loss to the Nation and to the States, pp. 4-6.

ATTRITION 80

A National Priority: Americans Speak on Teacher Quality

Source: A National Priority, pg. 3.


ATTRITION 81


ATTRITION 82

Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll

Source: Phi Delta Kappa, pg. 41.


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ATTRITION 84

The Cost of Teacher Turnover

Table T-4:

Source: The Cost of Teacher Turnover, pg. 23.

Table T-14:

Source: The Cost of Teacher Turnover, pg. 30.

ATTRITION 1 A WAR OF ATTRITION Andrew T. Vestich ......Survey, Teacher Attrition and Mobility, The...

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