New Evidence on the Frequency of Teacher Turnover: Accounting for Within-Year Turnover

Teacher turnover occurs during and at the end of the school year, although documentation of within-year turnover currently rests on anecdotal evidence. On average, over 4.6% of teachers turn over during the school year, which amounts to 25% of total annual turnover. Teachers transfer within districts at higher rates at the beginning of the school year and leave teaching at higher rates at the beginning of the spring semester. Higher performing teachers are less likely to turn over during the school year and less likely to turn over within the year than at the end of the year. Teach for America corps members are much less likely and teachers from out of state much more likely to turn over during the school year than traditionally prepared teachers.