26 THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TEACHER ATTRITION AND THE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Bryan Calvert, EdD Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2024, VOL. 7, ISSUE 1 www.dbu.edu/doctoral/edd Introduction Teacher turnover has been a problem that has plagued school leaders for decades. The rate at which teachers leave schools has created a revolving door syndrome that costs school districts millions of dollars a year, wastes time and resources, and has been proven to have a direct negative impact on student achievement (Ingersoll, 2001; Sorensen & Ladd, 2020). While this is a widely accepted belief in the education community, there is a lack of accurate data or processes to determine the full impact of high teacher turnover. This dilemma is even worse in schools with a high number of minorities, high levels of poverty, and low student achievement (Synar, 2010). Research has shown that nearly half of all new hires leave within the first 5 years of teaching (Ingersoll, 2001; Phillips, 2015). These percentages are even worse for high need areas such as special education, math, and science, especially in low-performing schools. In addition to the known costs of teacher turnover, there are many hidden or unseen costs associated with attrition that negatively impact schools (Synar & Maiden, 2012). Most school districts do not track the appropriate data or have effective systems in place to provide an accurate cost analysis (Phillips, 2010; Sorensen & Ladd, 2020). When school leaders have a more accurate picture of the true and widely spread cost associated with teacher turnover, they can formulate more effective strategic plans aimed at recruiting and retaining the most qualified teachers. Summary of Study The current study was a mixed methods study with the goal of providing valuable research to the education community regarding the cost of teacher attrition and the impact on student achievement. The current study examined the cost of replacing teachers and the relationship it had with student achievement. Additionally, the researcher gathered qualitative data from principals on their perceived beliefs about the unseen costs connected with teacher turnover. Excessive teacher turnover creates a burden on a school district’s finances, time, energy, and investment in professional development. The purpose of the current study was to provide relevant data that school leaders can use to create strategic plans aimed at improving retention rates in order to improve student achievement. The mixed methods design answered the following questions: Research Question 1 (RQ1) Is there a relationship between district teacher turnover rate and the percentage of students who earn Meets Standard or Above on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness? Research Question 2 (RQ2) Is there a relationship between the amount of money spent replacing teachers in North Texas school districts and the district’s overall accountability rating? Research Question 3 (RQ3) What are the perceived unseen costs associated with replacing teachers as reported by school administrators? Summary of Findings and Interpretation of Results The researcher’s intent for RQ1 was to determine if there was a relationship between the number of new hires for each school district and that district’s achievement on the state assessment scores. The researcher hypothesized
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODc4ODgx