Educator Turnover Has Markedly Increased, but Districts Have Taken Actions to Boost Teacher Ranks: Selected Findings from the Sixth American School District Panel Survey. Research Report. RR-A956-14

This survey wanted to obtain a national picture of teacher and principal turnover at the end of the 2021-2022 school year and districts' staffing shortages at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, researchers surveyed 300 district and charter network leaders in the American School District Panel from October to December 2022. Key findings from the survey include: (1) Teacher turnover increased 4 percentage points above prepandemic levels, reaching 10 percent nationally at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Principal turnover increased too, reaching 16 percent nationally going into the 2022-2023 school year; (2) Teacher turnover in 2021-2022 was highest (around 12 to 14 percent) in urban districts, high-poverty districts, and districts serving predominately students of color. Meanwhile, principal turnover was highest (around 21 to 23 percent) in high-poverty districts and in rural districts; (2) District leaders generally perceived staffing shortages to be less acute in 2022-2023 than they were in 2021-2022. However, in fall 2022, staffing shortages continued to be most acute for substitute teachers, special education teachers, and bus drivers. High-poverty districts in particular had considerable shortages in several teaching categories; and (3) Ninety percent of districts experienced one or more policy changes either they or their state enacted to boost teacher ranks in response to shortages. Chief among these changes were increased pay and/or benefits and the expansion of grow-your-own teacher preparation programs. [For the technical document, see ED626482.]