TO STAY OR NOT TO STAY: AN EMPIRICAL MODEL FOR PREDICTING TEACHER PERSISTENCE

Abstract

Teacher persistence has been a growing issue in recent decades. This raises the problem of the sustainability of the teaching workforce, the professionalism of working teachers and preserving the quality of education. In this study we aim to create and test an empirical model that makes it possible to predict teachers’ plans to remain in or leave the profession. Proceeding from earlier research, this study focuses on investigating the role of motivations, job demands, and school climate as potential factors of teacher retention. A sample of 373 teachers responded to an electronic questionnaire compiled using questions from FIT-Choice, Norwegian Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Delaware School Climate Survey. Structural equation modelling was applied to find the model that predicts teachers’ plans to remain in or leave the profession. The findings revealed two main factors–the combination of perceived teaching ability and intrinsic motivation, and job security–that have a positive impact on plans to continue teaching. Perceived teaching ability and intrinsic motivation, in turn, is affected by relations with students and maintaining discipline in class. Emotional exhaustion and workload impacting the latter, predict the risk of attrition. Contrary to earlier research, age and years of teaching experience appeared to be unrelated to plans to continue teaching.