Within-Year Teacher Turnover in Head Start and Children's Development

• In Event: 79.038 - Early Childhood Education and the Transition to Kindergarten

Abstract

Research suggests that children thrive in early childhood education (ECE) settings where they can form meaningful bonds with warm, responsive caregivers, highlighting the importance of the adults who work in ECE settings. Unfortunately, the ECE workforce in the United States is unstable, with estimated turnover rates near 25%. Although there have been sizable policy investments in turnover reduction, there is a lack of evidence linking turnover to children’s development. Using two waves of nationally-representative Head Start data, we provide quasi-experimental estimates of the relationship between within-year teacher turnover and children’s development. Ten percent of children enrolled in Head Start experience within-year teacher turnover, and turnover is negatively associated with children’s literacy and behavioral outcomes (d= 0.15). Policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Anna J Markowitz, University of Virginia

• Daphna Bassok, University of Virginia