Teacher Turnover in High-Poverty Schools

What fuels high rates of teacher turnover in schools that serve large numbers of low-income students of color? Teachers who choose to leave such schools usually transfer to schools serving wealthier, whiter student populations, leading some researchers to conclude that teachers are dissatisfied working with poor, minority students. Here we present an alternative explanation— one grounded in organizational theory. We review evidence from six recent studies, which collectively suggest that teachers who leave high-poverty schools are not fleeing their students, but rather the poor working conditions that make it difficult for them to teach and their students to learn. Together, these studies find that the working conditions teachers prize most—and those that best predict their satisfaction and retention—are social in nature. They include school leadership, collegial relationships, and elements of school culture. We discuss what is known about these factors and how each supports teachers' work. We conclude with recommendations for those who seek to stabilize the staffing in these schools.