Do Student Enrollment Trends Predict Music Teacher Turnover?

• In Event: Exploring Issues Impacting Music Educators

Abstract

We used data from a State Longitudinal Data System to examine the association between elective enrollment in high school music ensembles and music teacher professional longevity. By using SLDS data, we were able to link students to specific music teachers across the state and observe teachers’ career transitions. We examined the extent to which year-to-year enrollment declines in a high school music ensemble predict music teachers transferring schools or leaving the profession. We find that year-over-year ensemble enrollment declines are significantly associated with the likelihood that a music teacher would transfer to a new school or district. In models with student-, school-, and district-level covariates, we find that school characteristics are more strongly associated with teacher turnover than enrollment declines.

Authors

• Kenneth Elpus, University of Maryland
  Presenting Author

• David S. Miller, University of Kentucky
  Presenting Author