Improving the Teacher Supply: The Relationship between Workplace Conditions and a Former Teacher's Consideration to Return to Teaching

Abstract

High attrition rates of teachers have had a significant impact on the quality of teachers within the field of K-12 education in the United States. This issue has been analyzed from the perspectives of new teacher recruits, as well as the retention of current teachers. This study analyzes the perceptions of former teachers who have left the teaching profession, and who may or may not consider returning to the profession. These reentering teachers constitute a potentially significant source of professionals to fill vacancies in schools. This study looks at former teachers and determines the relationship between their perception of compensation, perception of degree of control and input into organizational policies, perception of institutional conflict, and perception of administrative support and the consideration to return or not to return to teaching. Using 2004-2005 Teacher Follow-Up Survey, three logistic regression models were used to determine the relationships between the perception of workplace conditions, reasons for leaving, professional and personal variables, and the consideration to return to teaching. Survey questions related to workplace conditions include a sample of former teachers who were employed at the time the survey was taken, while questions related to reasons for leaving and personal and professional variables include former teachers who were either employed or unemployed. All three logistic regression models used in this study show that "Safety" is a significant predictor of the consideration to return to teaching. Regression model 2, which determines the relationship between perceptions of workplace conditions, reasons for leaving, and the consideration to return to teaching, shows that former teachers are more likely to return if salary played an important role in their decision to leave. Regression model 3, which determines the relationship between perceptions of workplace conditions, reasons for leaving, personal and professional characteristics, and the consideration to return to teaching, shows that teachers are more likely to consider returning to teaching if they feel as if they have more influence of policies and practices in their current jobs. Also, if they initially left to pursue a job outside of the education field, they are less likely to consider returning. Lastly, White and female teachers were more likely to consider returning than male and non-White teachers. Overall, though, "Safety" is the consistent predictor whether or not a former teacher would consider returning to the profession.