Recent Trends in the Characteristics of New Teachers, the Schools in Which They Teach, and Their Turnover Rates

Why It Matters

National workforce changes can alter what beginning teachers need to succeed. This study examines changes in new teachers, their school placements, and the supports associated with their retention.

Data and Sample

The study uses seven nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey waves from 1987–1988 through 2011–2012, with follow-up turnover information. It compares beginning teachers and their school contexts over time.

Key Findings

• Beginning teachers became more likely to hold certification and graduate degrees and to have attended selective colleges.
• New teachers became more likely to begin in schools serving economically disadvantaged students and students of color.
• The increase in racial diversity among new teachers was driven largely by Hispanic teachers; comparable growth was not observed for Black teachers.

Policy Implications

• Align induction and administrative support with the contexts in which new teachers actually work.
• Assess recruitment and preparation alongside unequal working conditions in schools serving historically underserved students.
• Evaluate specific support strategies before assuming these observational patterns establish causal retention effects.

Topic

Recruitment; Retention

Subtopic

Teacher Preparation and Certification; Teacher Support and Professional Development; Working Conditions; Equity and Diversity

Education level

K-12 Education

Full Citation

Redding, C., & Nguyen, T. D. (2020). Recent trends in the characteristics of new teachers, the schools in which they teach, and their turnover rates. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 122(7), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146812012200711