Journal Critique: Issues in Education Assignments 1
Journal Critique: Teacher Turnover
James Fisher
1/15/2021
School of Education
Liberty University
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Teacher Turnover
Summary
In teacher turnover, the turnover refers to the change in the number of teachers from one
year to the next in a particular school setting (Ladd & Sorensen, 2020). In some cases, the
turnover of the staff is natural and desirable, which happens in all jobs, though high rates are a
major concern for the education field mainly in the k-12 education field. Ways that can affect the
rate of a high turnover rate in education are because of teacher shortages if it reflects the
departure of teachers from the profession or from schools in exact locations or subject areas as
teachers move among schools or districts (Ladd & Sorensen, 2020). The downside of a high
turnover rate in a particular school can lower the quality the education of that school can offer,
which in turn impacts on outcomes for that school’s students. The student outcomes will be
unfavorably affected, especially if the turnover leads to a mix of teachers with weaker average
qualifications. Basically, if a group of teachers that have very limited experience working as a
unit towards the school’s educational mission, or most importantly if the school is having trouble
replacing or filling the positions all the teachers that leave rather from retirement or leaving for
another district.
The key points that I have gathered is first a lack of sufficient, qualified teachers
threatens students' capability to learn, second, uncertainty in a school's teacher workforce will
negatively affect students achievement and reduces teacher effectiveness and quality, third, high
teacher turnover brings in numerous burdens on the schools and districts from which teachers
leave, some of these burdens are clear and take the procedure of recruiting, hiring, and training
costs, and last, a high turnover rate not only makes the school look bad but also the district.
Analysis
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This article was interesting to read because it covered reasons on way teacher turnover
rate was as bad as it is, also it gave some reasons why the turnover rates would be high. What
really caught my eye is that the article talked about the measures of what teacher qualifications
represent important aspects of school quality. It is important to realize that teachers with less
experience in the classroom are on average much less effective at improving student outcomes
than their more experienced counterparts (Ladd & Sorensen, 2020). Teachers who enter the
profession through lateral entry or a provisional license also exhibit weaker teaching
performance.
This article really highlighted why and how a school with a higher turnover rate in
teachers really affect not only the student and the school, but the district as well. It is known that
schools or districts that have a high turnover rate in teachers usually have a low or bad
reputation. In turn, many parents will try to move out the district or try to have their child go to
another school. Though since this article tells some of the reasons why the rate is higher in some
places, the school and districts can look at how the teachers are being treated and take steps to fix
or make it known that the pleads of the teachers are being heard and administration are taking
they very seriously, and just by doing that it can cut down the teacher turnover rate.
Personal Response
After reading the article and doing a little more research on why the teacher turnover rate
is so high. The main thing I learned is that the lack of respect is the main reason why teachers
quit and why the turnover rate is as high as it is. I do agree that a high turnover rate affects the
student’s ability to learn effectively. Personally, I have seen it happen in all my years of
schooling where a teacher left, and it really left the students in a position to be like “what do we
do now”. When I was working on my bachelor’s degree, I had a different vocal instructor every
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semester for two years (usually you have one vocal instructor and four year of your undergrad).
Which this made it hard to get through a lot of music because every teacher had a different way I
should sing, learn my music, and fundamentals of performing. Overall, when the article talks
about how teacher turnover rate affects students, I am a prime example of that.
