Examining Early Career Teacher Retention Across Public School Districts in Texas: A Multilevel Analysis

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Recruitment and Retention by Districts and Schools

Abstract

Unequal access to highly-qualified and experienced teachers has been identified as key driver of the persistent opportunity gaps in K12 education. Teacher attrition is at its highest during the first five years of service when as many as half of all new teachers leave the profession. Using multi-level modeling, this study examines a large longitudinal data set from the state of Texas with the aim of identifying individual and school district level factors connected to early career teacher retention and the patterns of interaction between these factors. Preliminary results indicate wide variation in retention associated with individual level and a relatively small, but potentially important, district level effect.

Authors

• Andrew Kapral, University of Houston

• Kathryn Wheatley, Rhode Island School of Design