The Cost of Teacher Turnover in Five School Districts: A Pilot Study

This report details the results of a pilot study of the cost of teacher turnover in five school districts. They examined the rate of turnover, the relationship between turnover and teacher and school characteristics, and the costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training replacement teachers. They that turnover costs, although difficult to quantify, are significant at both the district and the school level and that teachers left high minority and low performing schools at significantly higher rates.