Jun 6, 2023 4 min read

A new study shows that the number of Pennsylvania teachers leaving their jobs is the highest on record.

The report, from Dr. Ed Fuller of the Penn State Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, shows a 1.5% increase in the attrition rate from last year, with 9,587 Pennsylvania educators leaving their posts this school year.

That statistic reflects a pattern that has emerged across the U.S., where schools are struggling to find teachers.

Fuller’s analysis shows the attrition rate was 7.7% in 2022-23, up from 6.2% in 2021-22 and 5.4% in 2020-21.

The record number of teachers leaving the classroom comes at the same time as teacher certifications in Pennsylvania continue to plummet – the pipeline of new certified teachers in Pennsylvania has fallen by more than 60% since 2011, according to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

The state’s teacher education programs produced a record-low number of certified teachers – 4,220 graduates – in the 2021-22 school year, a separate study Fuller released last month shows.

Including out-of-state graduates, a total of 5,101 new-teacher licenses were issued – only about half as many as left their posts.

In addition, the number of emergency permits for teachers is now at its highest level.

“It really is a perfect storm, all happening at the same time,” said Fuller about the record attrition rate and the number of newly certified teachers declining to its lowest level. “We are on the heels of the pandemic where a lot of kids didn’t learn as much as they could have for a lot of reasons, and they’re really in need of high-quality teachers, yet we’re not preparing enough people to fill the increasing number of vacancies. It’s going to have a negative impact on schools across Pennsylvania. The bottom line is, some kids aren’t going to get the education they deserve.”

Data shows the highest rate of attrition was among teachers of color – especially Black, Hispanic, and multi-race teachers – with nearly 1 of every 5 Black male teachers leaving the teaching profession.

And Pennsylvania’s charter schools experienced the highest rates of attrition, Fuller said.

Teacher attrition was substantially higher in the poorest districts, which tend to offer lower salaries.

Male teachers left the teaching field at a higher rate than their female colleagues, and middle school teachers left at a higher rate than teachers at other levels.

Research shows teacher turnover has a negative impact on student outcomes, school climate, and teacher quality.

The report emphasizes the need to understand why more teachers are leaving the teaching profession, and notes research that suggests teacher salaries and working conditions are two of the primary reasons why teachers quit.

Additionally, recent research suggest prestige and respect for teachers have declined dramatically in recent years. In 2011, 77% of teachers reported feeling respected by community members. By 2022, the percentage had fallen to 46%.

Proposed solutions in the study include increasing teacher salaries and providing stipends for teaching in hard-to-staff schools.

“Reducing the cost of becoming a teacher would help a lot, too. It’s extraordinarily expensive to get a teaching degree,” said Fuller, whose study on teacher production decline suggests scholarships and loan forgiveness programs.

The study also suggests implementing teacher working conditions surveys to help schools identify areas of concern and develop strategies to address those areas of need identified by teachers.

“People say salary matters, but working conditions matter as well,” said Fuller. “One of the things districts ought to be asking teachers and educators is do you want to stay, and if not, why not?”

Pennsylvania lawmakers are looking at ways to attract and retain teachers in K-12 classrooms, including raising minimum salaries, offering stipends for student teaching, providing tax credits for teachers, and providing scholarships for teachers who agree to teach for a designated number of years.