Examining the Mandatory Teacher Rotation System in Japanese Public Schools

• In Event: 523 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03.The Role and Influence of Teachers: Session I

Abstract

This research is an organizational comparative analysis of how the structure of education labor markets affects educational equality. Extant literature on teacher distribution is centered on the U.S. and rarely assesses the influence of organizational structure. My research here addresses these gaps by studying a unique facet of Japan’s public education system: jinji idou, a mandatory teacher rotation system governed by the prefectural board of education in which teachers are systematically transferred to other schools in the prefecture throughout their careers.

I provide a detailed overview of employee rotation in Japanese schools. First, I describe the organizational structure of the Japanese education system, in general, followed by the education system in the research site, Shizuoka prefecture. Then, I discuss teacher rotation in Shizuoka public schools, providing a detailed account of both the formal and informal rules that govern the system. I also review how the teachers’ union has influenced the teacher rotation negotiating process, and I end by detailing the organizational structure of the personnel committee at the Prefectural Board of Education who ultimately make the transfer decisions.

Author

• Ryan Seebruck, University of Arizona