Teacher attrition in the USA: the relational elements in a Utah case study

Previous work on teacher attrition in the US has indicated that those who stay in the profession and those who leave are not separate homogenous groups. In this study, the lived experience of former teachers is examined to determine the issues that distinguish leavers from stayers. The sample is from the state of Utah, a state with one of the highest attrition rates in the nation. By loosely applying self-thematization theory to collect and analyze data from former teachers, a variety of elements were identified that combined in timing and intensity to influence the decision to leave the profession. These elements are also experienced by teachers who stay. However, in this study, collegial relationships was identified as the mitigating factor regardless of any combination of other factors influencing the decision to leave or stay. Although small-scale convenience sampling was employed, this study allows for an intimate accounting of the relational elements of teaching that exist among educators, which are often overlooked. Implications for teaching and schools are discussed with suggestions for direction of future research on teacher attrition.