Teacher Attrition - Human Capital and Terms of Employment - Do They Matter?

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

Teacher attrition is examined through an economic resource–reward lens, building on Sorensen and Tuma’s framework. Using a sample of 10,340 Israeli K–12 teachers, the study evaluates whether teachers’ resources and terms of employment relate to leaving behavior. Results indicate many early-career leavers are relatively highly educated. While intrinsic motivation is often emphasized, job rewards appear important to career decisions, and salary-level effects vary by higher-education attainment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Teacher attrition as a growing international issue

Consequences for school management and staffing

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal |
Arizona State University | | --- | --- | | Volume 29 Number 76 May 31 , 2021 ISSN 1068-2341 | | Teacher Attrition: Human Capital and Terms of Employment-Do They Matter? RinatArviv Elyashiv Kibbutzim College of Education & Yael Navon Taub Center for Social Policy Studies Israel Citation: Arviv Elyashiv, R. & Navon, Y. (2021) . Teacher attrition: Human capital and terms of employment – Do they matter? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(76) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5965](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5965) Abstract: Addressing Sorensen and Tuma's resource–reward theory, we explored teacher attrition from an economic perspective. The study aimed to explore the extent to which teachers' resources and terms of employment correlate with attrition behavior. In a sample of 10,340 Israeli K-12 teachers it was found that many beginning teachers who left the profession were relatively highly educated. Although the literature stresses teachers’intrinsic motivation for choosing their career, the findings, in line with earlier empirical studies, suggest that job rewards do play an important role in teachers' career decisions. Moreover, the current findings suggest that at lower salary levels, the rewards-attrition association differs by teacher higher-education level. That is, the attrition rates of highlyeducated teachers drop more sharply as salary increases, as expected by the theory. Some explanations and policy recommendations are made. Keywords: teacher attrition; human capital; job conditions; resource-reward model Deserción de docentes: Capital humano y condiciones de empleo- ¿Son importantes? Resumen: Abordando la teoría de recompensa de recursos de Sorensen y Tuma, exploramos ladeserción docente desde una perspectiva económica. El estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar hastaqué punto los recursos de los maestros y las condiciones de empleo se correlacionan con el comportamiento de deserción. En una muestra de 10,340 maestros israelíes K-12 se encontró que muchos maestros principiantes que dejaron la profesión tenían una educación relativamente alta. Aunque la literatura destaca la motivación intrínseca de los docentes para elegir su carrera, los hallazgos, en consonancia con estudios empíricos anteriores, sugieren que las recompensas laborales desempeñan un papel importante en las decisiones profesionales de los docentes. Además, los hallazgos actuales sugieren que a niveles salariales más bajos, la asociación entre recompensas y deserción difiere según el nivel de educación superior del maestro. Es decir, las tasas de deserción delos docentes con un alto nivel de educación caen más drásticamente a medida que aumenta el salario, como espera la teoría. Se hacen algunas explicaciones y recomendaciones de políticas. Palabras clave: deserción docente; capital humano; condiciones laborales; modelo de recompensade recursos Abandono de professores: Capital humano e condições de emprego-São importantes? Resumo: Abordando a teoria de recompensa de recursos de Sorensen e Tuma, exploramos oabandono de professores de uma perspectiva econômica. O estudo teve como objetivo explorar em que medida os recursos dos professores e as condições de emprego se correlacionam com ocomportamento de abandono. Em uma amostra de 10.340 professores israelenses de ensino fundamental e médio, descobriu-se que muitos professores iniciantes que deixaram a profissãotinham educação relativamente alta. Embora a literatura destaque a motivação intrínseca dos professores para escolher sua carreira, os resultados, consistentes com estudos empíricos anteriores, sugerem que as recompensas de trabalho desempenham um papel importante nas decisões de carreira dos professores. Além disso, os resultados atuais sugerem que em níveis salariais maisbaixos, a associação entre recompensas e evasão difere de acordo com o nível de esc

FAQs

What theoretical approach guides the study of teacher attrition?

The analysis follows Sorensen and Tuma’s resource–reward theory, treating attrition as linked to economic incentives and employment terms.

How large is the study sample and who are the participants?

The study uses a sample of 10,340 Israeli K–12 teachers.

What does the study find about job rewards and salary levels?

Job rewards are suggested to play an important role in teachers’ career decisions, and at lower salary levels the rewards–attrition relationship differs by teachers’ higher-education level.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca