News Media Advisory: Press Conference to Announce Teacher Dropouts Cost U.S. More Than $7 Billion Annually

WHO:

National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF)

WHAT:

Press conference to announce teacher dropouts cost U.S. more than $7 billion annually

WHEN:

Two (2) Press Conference Calls, Wednesday, June 20, 2007

--  10:00 a.m. EDT
--  1:00 p.m. EDT
    

WHERE:

Two (2) telephone press conference calls. RSVP required. RSVP with Karen Abercrombie at 202-429-2570 or email: kabercrombie@nctaf.org

MORE ABOUT:

The teacher dropout problem costs the U.S. billions of dollars, draining resources, diminishing teaching quality, and undermining the nation's ability to close the student achievement gap, states a new policy brief to be released June 20th by NCTAF.

NCTAF estimates that the national cost of public school teacher turnover could exceed $7.3 billion annually.

The brief is based on an 18-month pilot study NCTAF completed on the cost of teacher turnover in five school districts -- Chicago; Granville, N.C.; Jemez Valley, N.M.; Milwaukee; and Santa Rosa, N.M. The districts varied in size, location, and demographics. NCTAF researchers explored how these variations affected costs. The research was supported by grants from the Joyce Foundation and the Spencer Foundation.

The pilot study examined the costs of recruiting, hiring, processing, and training teachers at both the school and district levels. The study shows that the cost of turnover varies from district to district, largely dependant upon the size of the district and the types of induction programs the district implements -- but in all cases, the cost of teacher turnover is substantial.

The findings indicate that America's teacher dropout problem is spiraling out of control. Teacher attrition has grown by 50% over the past fifteen years. The national teacher turnover rate has risen to 16.8%. In urban schools, it's over 20%, and, in some schools and districts, the teacher dropout rate is actually higher than the student dropout rate.

The monetary loss for many schools impacts already stretched budgets and adds to the hiring struggles of school leaders. The problem is most acute in the nation's high minority, high poverty, and low performing schools. Because 46% of all new teachers in the U.S. leave within five years, NCTAF says schools are in a constant cycle of rebuilding their staff.

NCTAF (www.nctaf.org) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, providing leadership on innovation and improvement in teaching and learning in America's schools.

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