Dynamics of the Teacher Labor Market in the 21st Century: Theoretical Underpinnings and an Empirical Investigation

• In Event: 69.041 - Recruiting and Retaining Teachers From and for Underserved Schools

Abstract

Recruiting and retaining teachers is a persistent challenge faced by high poverty, low performing schools. In this study, we examine the expressed preferences for teachers who have worked in a group of chronically low performing schools in Tennessee, the Achievement School District (ASD) schools, in order to discover the school-level attributes that are most important in their recruitment and retention decisions. An Adaptive Conjoint Analysis survey was distributed to all current and former ASD teachers focusing on three broad attributes of schools: malleable school processes; structural features of employment; and school characteristics. Results indicate the five most important features are all malleable processes: consistent administrative support, consistent discipline enforcement, school safety, small class sizes, and availability of high quality PD.

Authors

• Gary Henry, Vanderbilt University

• Samantha L Viano, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College

• Ron Zimmer, Vanderbilt University

• Adam Kho, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College

• Lam Pham, Vanderbilt University