A Cross-National Comparison of Teacher Attrition in the United States and the Netherlands

19 apr A Cross-National Comparison of Teacher Attrition in the United States and the Netherlands

Korte samenvatting: &#13This study uses nationally-representative labor force surveys from the United States and the Netherlands to examine teacher attrition for primary and secondary teachers. Attrition is examined both overall and by specific reason for leaving (left the labor force, unemployed, and left for a new profession). The total teacher attrition was higher in the United States than in the Netherlands for both elementary and secondary teachers, driven primarily by a higher percentage of U.S. teachers who left the labor force. Attrition was relatively stable over time for most groups, with the exception of primary teachers in the Netherlands. Cross-national comparisons of attrition such as this one can help inform generalizability of research studies as well as potential policy decisions.&#13&#13Lopende tekst: &#13Although the structure of education systems can differ dramatically across countries, examining teacher attrition from an international perspective can help illuminate common issues as well as reveal unique structures and policies that may impact attrition. The United States and the Netherlands are countries that are well-suited for initial international comparisons because of the similarities in their teacher training. In both countries, primary and secondary teachers are required to have a Bachelor’s degree, but secondary teachers are more likely to have Master’s level qualifications. Additionally, both countries are experiencing teacher shortages, and have turned to alternative certification programs in an attempt to fill positions. &#13

Due to the lack of research in the area of cross-national comparisons on teacher attrition, the current study is primarily exploratory in nature. As such, it aims to answer the following research questions:

Can comparable groups of teachers be created across the United States and the Netherlands?How does the percentage of teacher attrition in primary and secondary education compare across the United States and the Netherlands?Are there any patterns over time in rates of attrition in either of these countries?This study uses comparable nationally-representative labor force surveys from the United States (CPS) and the Netherlands (EBB) to examine teacher attrition for primary and secondary teachers. Both sources are highly standardized according to international agreements and are used in other cross-national research studies, such as those from the OECD and the UN. Attrition is examined both overall and by specific reason for leaving (left the labor force, unemployed, and left for a new profession). &#13&#13The total teacher attrition was higher in the United States than in the Netherlands for both elementary and secondary teachers, driven primarily by a higher percentage of U.S. teachers who left the labor force. Attrition was relatively stable over time for most groups, with the exception of primary teachers in the Netherlands. For primary teachers, there was no significant change over time for any type of leavers in the United States. In the Netherlands, there was a significant increase in the total percentage of teachers leaving the profession (ß = 0.14, p < .001). There was also a significant increase for those that left the labor force (ß = 0.05, p = .004), and those that left for another position (ß = 0.07, p < .001). For secondary teachers, there was a significant increase over time in those teachers in the United States that left the labor force (ß = 0.12, p = .05), but no other significant linear trends. Cross-national comparisons of attrition such as this one can help inform generalizability of research studies as well as potential policy decisions. The findings could be informative for program and policy-makers who are interested in reducing rates of teacher attrition or attempting to prepare for future needs of the teaching labor force. &#13 &#13&#13