What is the impact of teacher turnover on US education?

Teacher turnover has been identified as one of the significant challenges facing the US education system, affecting student achievement, school culture, and the workforce. When a high number of teachers leave their positions, they are often replaced by less experienced, less qualified, or poorly matched candidates, which affects the quality of education that students receive.

Studies have shown that high teacher turnover rates significantly affect student performance in reading and math, particularly in low-income areas, where teacher shortages and retention problems are more severe. Teacher turnover also has a financial impact on schools, as they have to spend money on recruitment, training, and support for new teachers.

Moreover, high teacher turnover leads to a less stable school culture, where teachers do not form strong relationships with students, colleagues, and the community, which can affect the social-emotional development of students. Furthermore, teacher turnovers affect the workforce and the teaching profession as a whole. It results in a shortage of skilled teachers, which worsens as the demand for teachers increases.