Teacher Attrition and Retention: A Meta-Analytic and Narrative Review of the Research

TLDR

Teacher attrition is driven by personal traits and school characteristics, yet longitudinal data and nuanced theories are lacking. This study aims to identify the factors that moderate teacher attrition by examining career trajectories. The authors conducted a meta‑analysis of 34 studies covering 63 attrition moderators. Attrition is not merely healthy turnover; it varies with personal and professional factors, is more strongly influenced by work conditions than previously thought, and can be mitigated through targeted policies.

Abstract

This comprehensive meta-analysis on teacher career trajectories, consisting of 34 studies of 63 attrition moderators, seeks to understand why teaching attrition occurs, or what factors moderate attrition outcomes. Personal characteristics of teachers are important predictors of turnover. Attributes of teachers’ schools, including organizational characteristics, student body composition, and resources (instructional spending and teacher salaries), are also key moderators. The evidence suggests that attrition from teaching is (a) not necessarily “healthy” turnover, (b) influenced by various personal and professional factors that change across teachers’ career paths, (c) more strongly moderated by characteristics of teachers’ work conditions than previously noted in the literature, and (d) a problem that can be addressed through policies and initiatives. Though researchers have utilized a number of national and state databases and have applied economic labor theory to questions related to teacher attrition, the authors argue that better longitudinal data on teacher career paths and more nuanced theories are needed.