By now we are all sick of hearing about COVID. Me too! During the pandemic, we saw record turnover rates in many industries, including the education industry. It is very easy to say that turnover is a problem everywhere, and in every industry, and that would be true. It is easy to pass the blame on the employee, or the pandemic, and there is certainly some room for blame there as well. When do we admit that organizational leadership, processes, policies, and many other factors are also to blame? For the purpose of this post, I will focus solely on education. This is an education blog after all. First, let’s look at the data.
Figure 1. Education Turnover Rates 2016-2021
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| 29.0%* | 29.4% | 30.3% | 29.9% | 42.1% | 25.5% |
The education industry has been hovering around 30% (Figure 1) turnover on average. During the pandemic, the education industry saw a considerable increase in turnover for various reasons including health concerns, working conditions, and early retirement, among other things. It is important to note that turnover was directly impacted by COVID-19, and was not entirely the result of the education system itself.
So why? Why are teachers leaving the profession? There is an overwhelming number of studies about why teachers are leaving the profession. In 2008… Wait!!! The teacher shortage is new, isn’t it? No! The teacher shortage is not a new problem. It is a growing problem and it will continue to grow until we are no longer fearful to talk about why. The problem with survey data is that it is commonly generalized. What are the specific reasons though?
In 2008, Education World analyzed US data and found 5 major reasons teachers were leaving the profession. (Why Are Teachers Leaving the Profession? | Education World, 2022)
- Unrealistic Federal and State Mandates
- Lack of Support
- Student Discipline Challenge
- Low Pay
- Lack of Influence and Respect
In a follow-up survey completed by the USDoE, those who left the field of education cited several reasons why their new position was better than their old position. These are the major areas of interest for me, but not all-inclusive list.
- Professional Advancement – This is a serious issue in the field of public education. There are few advancement opportunities and each district defines how important employee growth and advancement are. In my discussions with many educators throughout the country over the years, this is one major area where public education is lacking.
- Professional Development – We have all sat through a version of literacy training. And then the following year we did it again. Then again the next year. The same training over and over again. Then something new a week later, or a month later. Or our favorite: The new initiative that is “here to stay,” but manages to vanish without discussion after a few months only to be replaced by the new non-negotiable training that is here to stay.
- Recognition and Support from Managers/Supervisors/Educational Leaders – This is a hot-button issue that is prevalent throughout public education and even the private sector. People don’t quit bad jobs. They quit bad managers. Without knowing the true reasons people are leaving a school, this issue can never be solved. Most teachers would just be satisfied having the support of the school administration when addressing student-related issues.
- Influence – Unless you work for a micromanager (they exist everywhere) you will have autonomy over your classroom. But what about the policies in your school?
So let’s do a little reflection. Lack of Support, Student Discipline Challenges, and Lack of Influence and Respect can all be solved by addressing the giant elephant in the room. Poor Leadership and Management. As a business major, I have spent many years learning about the differences between managers and leaders. I have had collegial and professional discussions and even engaged in some civil arguments about the subject. Scholars and professionals alike believe that managers are important members of a leadership team. I agree; they are vital parts of a successful leadership team.
The world of public education is usually quite different from the private sector. The management aspect is one of the areas where I would argue it is no different. With that said, managers are an important “part” of a leadership team. It is my opinion, however, that managers should not be leading schools or the leadership team. Leadership is an essential function of a Principal. Public Schools need leaders with a vision and a mission. Someone who is willing to roll up their sleeves and become part of the learning experience. Someone who is involved in the community and creates opportunities to interact with and get the community involved in the school and the learning process. Managers can achieve this through the delegation of these activities but then the community can easily become confused about who the face of the school is.
Great leadership renders a teacher shortage moot. A teacher shortage is only a problem if turnover is. Basic cause and effect. It’s elementary my dear teachers. Elementary!
Why Are Teachers Leaving the Profession? | Education World. (2022). Educationworld.com. https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/why-are-teachers-leaving-profession.shtml
Table 16. Annual total separations rates by industry and region, not seasonally adjusted – 2022 M01 Results. (2022). Bls.gov. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t16.htm
Sky Ariella. (2022, August 30). 27 US Employee Turnover Statistics [2022]: Average Employee Turnover Rate, Industry Comparisons, And Trends. Zippia.com; Zippia. https://www.zippia.com/advice/employee-turnover-statistics/
Keigher, A., & Cross, F. (2010). Times New Roman. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010353.pdf
