Understanding how COVID-19 has Changed Teachers’ Chances of Remaining in the Classroom

Gema Zamarro, Andrew Camp, Dillon Fuchsman () and Josh B. McGee ()
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Andrew Camp: University of Arkansas, Postal: 3700 West Pine Mall Blvd., Fusz Hall, 358, St. Louis, MO 63103
Dillon Fuchsman: Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research, Saint Louis University, Postal: 3700 West Pine Mall Blvd., Fusz Hall, 358, St. Louis, MO 63103, https://www.slu.edu/research/sinquefield-center-for-applied-economic-research/index.php
Josh B. McGee: University of Arkansas

No 22-1, Working Papers from Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research, Saint Louis University

Abstract: The 2020-2021 academic year was a trying year for teachers. We use a nationally representative sample of teachers from the RAND American Teacher Panel to document that teachers’ stated consideration of leaving the profession increased during the pandemic. We also study factors associated with teachers’ consideration of leaving the profession and high levels of job burnout during the pandemic. Approaching retirement age (being 55 or older), having to change instruction modes, health concerns, and high levels of job burnout all appear to be important predictors of the probability of considering leaving or retiring from teaching. Hybrid teaching increased consideration of leaving the profession because of COVID. Health concerns and switching instruction modes are all associated with higher levels of concern about job burnout. Interestingly, those approaching retirement ages do not present higher levels of concern about job burnout than younger teachers. Although increased consideration of leaving and concern about burnout do not yet appear to have materialized into higher attrition rates so far, higher levels of job dissatisfaction could affect teacher effectiveness and could harm student academic progress.

Keywords: Teacher turnover; teacher retention; job burnout; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 J18 J28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 23 pages
Date: 2022-02-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-hea and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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