Teacher retention, turnover and attrition during the COVID-19 pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21703/rexe.v24i54.3038Keywords:
Retention, Teachers, pandemic, distance education, ChileAbstract
Educational systems face challenges in teacher retention, turnover, and attrition in the general teaching population, but particularly among teachers who are recently graduated. Hoping to contribute to the debate in the context of COVID-19, the research aimed to determine the magnitude and evolution of teacher retention, turnover, and attrition before and during the pandemic among teachers and new teachers in Chile. With a cohort design, the sample was primary and secondary school teachers between 2016-2024, excluding those who were legally retired. The results indicate an increase in post-pandemic retention and a decrease in turnover and attrition, especially in the first year of the educational crisis due to COVID-19. This effect persists for three educational cycles among the generation that entered teaching in 2020. The conclusions highlight the urgency of studying the topic comprehensively with mixed methodologies and longitudinal designs aimed at looking at the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to learn about the conditions that helped teacher retention in the general population and among novice teachers.
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