Round and Round They Go: The Relationship Between Changing Grades and Schools and Teacher Quality and Absence Rates

Abstract

Research on teacher churn has produced conflicting conclusions as to its impact on students and teachers. We bring clarity to this work by combining and expanding on analytical approaches used in earlier research to determine how and when different types of churn (i.e., grade, school) impact teacher effectiveness and attendance. Using data from the Los Angeles Unified School District, our results suggest differences based on analytical approach but ultimately show that changing schools and grades may be less of an issue than previously reported. In addition, in the case of school churn, a beneficial match in their new school sites may matter more for teacher outcomes than potential disruptive effects of churn. We conclude with implications for policy and future research.