摘要：Schools across America are losing teachers at an alarming rate. Changing workforce demographics forecasted some level of loss decades ago. More recently, however, it has been noted declines are now reaching a crisis level across parts of the United States for a variety of reasons. Today the prevailing professional literature addressing public education largely identifies financial limitations as the primary force behind these teacher shortages. Research has only recently started to include other alternative factors such as working conditions and personal satisfaction in the conversation surrounding potential reasons for the ongoing loss of teachers. This article introduces findings from a newly completed study in Arizona that confirmed classroom conditions, and most notably student discipline concerns, appear to be important considerations for teachers who are contemplating leaving their current positions. These findings contribute to the scope of the existing literature. They also advance practical implications about implementing initiatives to advance school improvement and in particular to combat teacher attrition. Finally, the article advances possible policy considerations and modifications in professional practice that could be targeted to improve classroom climate and contribute to teacher recruitment and retention successes.
