When Working Conditions Change: Collective Bargaining Agreements and Teacher Retention in Michigan

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Retention Lessons and Questions From Large Data Sets

Abstract

Using a novel database of Michigan school district collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) linked to administrative data on teacher assignment and a series of interrupted time series (ITS) models, we provide one of the first looks at the impact of changes to teacher working conditions in CBAs on teacher retention. We find that teachers are more likely to exit (versus stay in the profession) in districts where teacher working conditions are growing weaker, particularly in the areas of compensation, class size, and personnel leave. Given the challenges school districts face in attracting and retaining teachers, particularly in hard-to-staff areas, this study suggests that the erosion of teacher CBA strength could further exacerbate issues with teacher retention and recruitment in the future.

Authors

• Bradley Marianno, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Tara Kilbride, Michigan State University