Mathematics/science, special education, and foreign language teachers have predicted turnover rates 37%, 46%, and 87% greater than elementary teachers¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2022: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Holding all else constant, math/science teachers have a predicted turnover rate 37% greater than elementary teachers, special education 46% higher, and foreign language teachers 87% higher. → Carver-Thomas 2017

Evidence¶

Carver-Thomas 2017¶

Carver-Thomas, D. & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher turnover: Why it matters and what we can do about it. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-turnover doi:10.54300/454.278

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Multivariate regression on SASS/TFS data predicting turnover by main teaching subject, controlling for other factors; the report states these teachers were "much more likely to leave their schools or the profession" than elementary teachers.

"mathematics and science teachers have a predicted turnover rate 37% greater than that of elementary school teachers, special education teachers have a rate 46% higher, and foreign language teachers have a rate 87% higher."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Turnover is highest in ESL/bilingual education (19.0%), foreign languages (18.3%), CTE (17.5%), and special education (16.4%) — related
• Turnover is about 70% higher in schools serving the most students of color, with even larger gaps for math/science, special education, and alternatively certified teachers — related
• Teachers who enter without completed preparation are typically less effective and have significantly higher turnover than prepared teachers — related
• Special education teachers are the most likely of all subject-area teachers to have borrowed (65.2%) and to owe their entire balance (15.4%) — related