What do we know about early career attrition rates in Australia?

Key messages:

1. Estimates of attrition of early career teachers in Australia vary widely.
2. There are three major points where early career teacher attrition can occur: during initial teacher education, between graduation and employment, and during the first five years of a teaching career.
3. Completion rates for initial teacher education courses are comparable to similar courses, with around 65% of those commencing in 2008 completing within six years, based on analysis undertaken in 2016.
4. Under half of initial teacher education graduates found full-time work in schools around four months after graduation in 2013 and 2014, with another quarter employed part-time.
5. Factors driving attrition appear to be multiple and interrelated, while factors that improve retention include supportive school environments, stable employment and adequate pedagogical preparation.

Introduction/why read:

There is a strong perception in Australia that many teachers leave during initial teacher education or within the first five years of their careers.

This Spotlight paper examines what we do and do not know about early career teacher attrition rates in Australia, using available national and international data up to 2016. Drawing on evidence about initial teacher education completion, graduate employment outcomes and estimates of attrition, the paper highlights wide variation in reported rates and the lack of consistent national data.

It also explores how attrition and retention are defined and why clarity and consistency in these terms matter for meaningful policy debate. For teachers, school leaders and system leaders, this analysis provides an evidence-based overview of when teachers may be leaving, the factors associated with staying or leaving, and why more comprehensive, linked data collections are needed to better understand and respond to early career teacher attrition.