Impact of Teacher Turnover on Student Performance

The state of Florida has 67 general school districts coterminous with the state’s 67 counties, that are in a competitive relationship to attract better-qualified teachers and to accomplish high student performance in the annual statewide exam. This paper investigates the effect of teacher voluntary turnover on student achievement at the school district level, along with other factors including teacher salary, teacher’s degree level, teaching experience, local tax revenue, and the percentage of White and Asian students. Analyzing the 7-year panel data of Florida’s 67 school districts, I discovered that teacher voluntary turnover, the percentage of White students, and teacher degree level were significantly related to student performance, but teacher salary level was not. The results suggest that each school district should make and implement a program to reduce teacher voluntary turnover to improve student performance, but the current performance-based pay system for teachers in Florida should be revamped.