US Education: Low Student Achievement & Teacher Turnover In The US Blamed On Ineffective School Environments

Student achievement and teacher turnover are highly dependent on school environment, according to a new study. The research was focused on middle schools in New York City and acquired data from the U.S. Department of Education's School Survey.

The study was titled "School Organizational Contexts, Teacher Turnover, and Student Achievement: Evidence from Panel Data" and published in the American Educational Research Journal, Phys.org reported. The research team found that retaining effective teachers over time is influenced by four dimensions of school climate: "leadership and professional development, high academic expectations for students, teacher relationships and collaboration, and school safety and order."

According to the study, teacher turnover is lower when these four dimensions of school climate increase. Matthew A. Kraft, assistant professor of education and economics at Brown University and the study's lead author, said that improving these aspects can encourage effective teachers to remain in their posts.

Kraft said that middle schools in NYC have an average turnover rate of 15 percent. This means that out of 100 teachers, only 85 teachers come back to their positions in the same school in the next school year. Out of those 15 teachers who don't return, nine leave NYC's public schools and six teach in a different NYC public school.

Richard Ingersoll, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies teacher turnover and retention, said that the issue costs school districts more than $2.2 billion annually, NPR reported. These teachers feel like they are powerless in "decisions that ultimately affect their teaching" in the classroom. This "shrinking classroom autonomy" drives teacher dissatisfaction more than salaries.

Student misbehavior and discipline also affects teacher retention in the United States. Schools have different ways of coping with student behavior and discipline problems.

Some schools can deal with these issues better but some don't. It appears that teacher retention is better in schools that can manage pupils' behavioral issues well.

Meanwhile, students' academic achievement -- especially in math test scores -- is highly influenced by two factors: school safety and academic expectations. The problems, however, extend beyond individual classrooms.

Kraft said that evaluations of school-wide organizational effectiveness are crucial as well. A school's poor performance in academic achievement and teacher turnover can also be blamed on the ineffective leadership skills of the principal and if a school has no consistent disciplinary codes.

The study's authors suggested that school leaders with specific strengths could complement schools that have corresponding administrative or organizational weaknesses. What other methods can you think of that may improve teacher retention and student achievement in schools? Share your thoughts below.