What’s the Cost of Teacher Turnover?
Turnover rates vary by school and district, with those in rural and urban settings or that serve high percentages of student in poverty experiencing the highest rates. Use this tool to estimate the cost of teacher turnover in your school or district and to inform a local conversation about how to attract, support, and retain a high-quality teacher workforce. High-leverage strategies are highlighted below.
Local, state, and federal education leaders and policymakers all have an important role to play in addressing high teacher turnover and perennial staffing difficulties. The research points to the strategies below as key to building a strong and stable teacher workforce. (Safari users: Enable plug-ins to view links)
![]() |
Strengthen Preparation
Beginning teachers with little preparation are 2½ times more likely to leave the classroom after 1 year, compared to their well-prepared peers. |
What policymakers can do:
|
|
![]() |
Improve Hiring and Management Practices
Schools and districts that adopt effective hiring practices generally are more likely to attract, hire, and retain effective teachers. |
What policymakers can do:
|
|
![]() |
Expand and Strengthen Support for New Teachers
New teachers who do not receive mentoring and other supports leave at more than twice the rate of those who are supported. |
What policymakers can do:
|
|
![]() |
Improve Working Conditions
Teachers often cite lack of support from their principals as the top reason for leaving. They also cite limited decision-making input and limited opportunities to collaborate with colleagues as reasons to leave. |
What policymakers can do:
|
|
![]() |
Increase Compensation
After adjusting for the differential work year, beginning teachers earn about 20% less than individuals with college degrees in other fields—a wage gap that can widen to 30% for mid-career educators. This low pay contributes to turnover. |
What policymakers can do:
|