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Digest of Education Statistics
2012 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 85. Mobility of public and private elementary and secondary teachers, by selected teacher and school characteristics: Selected years, 1987–88 through 2008–09
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]  
Selected teacher or school characteristic Percent of public school teachers Percent of private school teachers  
Left teaching 2007-08 to 2008-09 Left teaching 2007-08 to 2008-09  
1987-88 to 1988-89 1993-94 to 1994-95 1999-2000 to 2000-01 2003-04 to 2004-05 Remained in same school Changed schools Left teaching 1987-88 to 1988-89 1993-94 to 1994-95 1999-2000 to 2000-01 2003-04 to 2004-05 Remained in same school Changed schools Left teaching  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15  
Total 5.6   (0.30) 6.6   (0.34) 7.4   (0.37) 8.4   (0.44) 84.5   (0.84) 7.6   (0.53) 8.0   (0.55) 12.7   (0.85) 11.9   (0.70) 12.5   (0.69) 13.6   (2.18) 79.2   (1.72) 4.9   (0.60) 15.9   (1.53)  
Sex                                                                                      
Male 5.1   (0.52) 5.2   (0.32) 7.4   (0.67) 7.7   (0.68) 84.4   (1.77) 7.8   (1.33) 7.9   (1.13) 10.2   (1.72) 13.1   (1.20) 11.7   (1.48) 14.2   (2.06) 80.0   (3.42) 5.7   (1.29) 14.3   (3.11)  
Female 5.8   (0.39) 7.1   (0.44) 7.4   (0.45) 8.6   (0.50) 84.5   (0.94) 7.5   (0.57) 8.0   (0.65) 13.4   (0.92) 11.6   (0.78) 12.8   (0.76) 13.4   (2.88) 78.9   (1.84) 4.7   (0.68) 16.4   (1.63)  
                                                                                       
Race/ethnicity                                                                                      
White 5.7   (0.32) 6.5   (0.36) 7.5   (0.45) 8.2   (0.50) 85.0   (0.96) 7.0   (0.58) 8.0   (0.67) 12.1   (0.90) 11.7   (0.69) 12.3   (0.73) 13.0   (2.33) 80.7   (1.82) 4.6   (0.59) 14.7   (1.59)  
Black 5.1 ! (1.84) 6.6   (1.48) 7.4   (1.60) 11.0   (2.31) 80.5   (3.13) 10.4   (1.90) 9.0   (2.27) 34.7   (8.35) 12.6 ! (4.52) 14.8 ! (5.09)   (†) 67.2   (10.90) 8.6 ! (3.78) 24.2 ! (10.11)  
Hispanic 2.9   (0.84) 9.1   (2.14) 7.5   (1.67) 9.3   (1.89) 83.8   (3.18) 10.7   (2.54) 5.6 ! (1.81) 21.3 ! (6.46) 14.6   (4.31) 9.6   (2.85) 22.1   (5.72) 69.2   (8.37)   (†) 23.7 ! (7.18)  
Asian/Pacific Islander   (†) 2.4   (0.71) 2.1 ! (0.87)   (†) 80.1   (10.84)   (†) 8.0 ! (3.84)   (†) 17.5 ! (8.67)   (†) 7.6 ! (2.84)   (†)   (†)   (†)  
Asian   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 79.5   (10.95)   (†) 9.6 ! (4.38)   (†)   (†)   (†) 7.8 ! (3.01)   (†)   (†)   (†)  
Native Hawaiian/
     Pacific Islander
  (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)  
American Indian/Alaska
     Native
  (†) 3.5 ! (1.06) 7.6 ! (3.68) 1.9 ! (0.77) 82.5 ! (29.40)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)  
Two or more races   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 82.5   (9.47)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)  
                                                                                       
Age                                                                                      
Less than 25 4.3   (0.91) 3.8   (1.05) 9.3   (2.20) 4.8   (1.24) 75.3   (4.06) 16.0   (3.16) 8.7 ! (3.11) 19.0   (3.79) 20.0   (4.19) 29.9   (4.24) 18.0   (3.41) 67.0   (8.95) 6.5 ! (2.81) 26.5 ! (8.04)  
25 to 29 9.0   (1.18) 10.0   (1.25) 9.7   (1.39) 10.6   (1.98) 76.3   (3.08) 14.3   (1.90) 9.4   (2.09) 17.6   (2.42) 13.1   (1.35) 18.6   (2.07) 21.2   (4.00) 69.7   (5.70) 11.6   (3.14) 18.7   (5.07)  
30 to 39 5.8   (0.59) 6.7   (0.94) 6.5   (0.88) 6.8   (0.87) 84.4   (2.14) 7.3   (1.33) 8.4   (1.46) 12.4   (1.59) 14.9   (1.54) 13.7   (1.52) 14.2   (1.81) 76.9   (3.73) 4.9   (1.42) 18.2   (3.35)  
40 to 49 2.4   (0.32) 3.9   (0.54) 4.6   (0.62) 5.3   (0.73) 89.6   (1.54) 6.6   (1.09) 3.9   (0.91) 10.5   (1.63) 8.7   (1.02) 8.5   (1.34) 10.7   (2.08) 83.7   (2.93) 5.4   (1.22) 10.9   (2.81)  
50 to 59 5.7   (0.82) 6.3   (0.77) 8.1   (0.80) 9.8   (0.82) 85.9   (1.61) 5.7   (1.08) 8.4   (1.26) 11.3   (2.45) 8.2   (1.53) 5.9   (0.90)   (†) 85.2   (2.11) 2.4   (0.63) 12.4   (2.06)  
60 to 64 23.4   (4.90) 30.5   (4.78) 25.7   (5.44) 28.0   (4.35) 80.0   (5.29) 2.6 ! (0.86) 17.5   (5.10) 16.9 ! (5.93) 13.1   (2.74) 18.1   (3.72) 20.7   (5.27) 79.2   (6.44)   (†) 17.6 ! (5.93)  
65 and over   (†) 34.1   (7.79) 16.6 ! (5.44) 21.2   (5.95) 89.2   (4.72)   (†) 10.4 ! (4.84) 7.9 ! (3.16) 41.9   (8.67) 29.4   (7.60) 21.2 ! (7.31) 74.7   (9.34)   (†) 23.3 ! (8.67)  
                                                                                       
Full- and part-time
     teaching experience
                                                                                     
1 year or less 7.9   (0.96) 5.7   (0.82) 10.5   (1.93) 9.6   (1.66) 73.0   (4.29) 15.7   (2.28) 11.4 ! (3.94) 15.9   (2.73) 18.2   (2.12) 28.9   (3.95) 20.2   (4.36) 66.1   (8.45)   (†) 29.8   (7.86)  
2 years 7.3   (1.81) 9.1   (1.51) 8.5   (1.94) 6.4   (1.43) 76.0   (4.70) 15.2   (3.26) 8.8 ! (2.93) 18.2   (3.32) 23.6   (2.72) 22.5   (3.24)   (†) 72.8   (8.46) 6.5 ! (2.18) 20.7 ! (8.57)  
3 years 9.3   (1.50) 9.8   (1.42) 7.5   (1.60) 7.7   (1.55) 79.5   (5.12) 11.5 ! (4.00) 9.0 ! (3.11) 15.4   (3.80) 12.8   (2.15) 17.8   (2.49) 15.3   (2.47) 73.9   (6.77) 9.6   (2.75) 16.5 ! (6.35)  
4 to 10 years 6.4   (0.89) 6.8   (0.94) 7.3   (0.72) 8.1   (0.98) 83.6   (1.70) 8.3   (1.02) 8.1   (1.27) 14.0   (1.91) 13.1   (1.51) 12.6   (1.37) 16.0   (2.54) 76.9   (2.63) 6.9   (1.44) 16.3   (2.13)  
11 to 20 years 3.5   (0.42) 4.9   (0.64) 5.2   (0.74) 5.5   (0.70) 90.7   (1.13) 5.0   (0.64) 4.3   (0.89) 11.5   (1.73) 7.1   (0.93) 6.9   (1.13) 8.2   (1.75) 83.4   (3.12) 3.1   (0.90) 13.5   (2.88)  
21 to 25 years 3.5   (0.87) 4.0   (0.81) 4.2   (0.68) 6.6   (1.23) 87.2   (2.93) 7.1   (1.93) 5.8 ! (2.31) 5.2 ! (2.36) 6.0   (1.64) 5.5   (1.32) 8.9 ! (4.25) 88.7   (3.19) 2.7 ! (1.23) 8.6 ! (2.88)  
More than 25 years 11.3   (1.63) 12.0   (1.04) 11.4   (1.05) 14.3   (1.13) 82.8   (2.23) 4.6 ! (1.39) 12.6   (2.12) 8.4   (2.03) 12.7   (2.53) 10.0   (1.40) 8.5   (1.77) 84.4   (3.25) 2.9 ! (1.01) 12.7   (2.95)  
                                                                                       
Level taught                                                                                      
Elementary 5.5   (0.39) 6.4   (0.53) 6.8   (0.45) 8.4   (0.68) 84.6   (1.28) 7.5   (0.69) 7.9   (1.01) 12.5   (0.99) 11.5   (0.96) 13.4   (0.84) 14.4   (3.64) 79.8   (1.91) 5.9   (0.88) 14.3   (1.80)  
Secondary 5.6   (0.42) 6.7   (0.53) 8.6   (0.71) 8.4   (0.59) 84.3   (1.13) 7.6   (0.89) 8.0   (0.75) 12.9   (2.38) 12.6   (1.51) 8.5   (0.90) 12.5   (1.35) 78.6   (2.64) 3.8   (0.93) 17.6   (2.44)  
                                                                                       
School size                                                                                      
Less than 150 7.3   (1.36) 6.4   (1.15) 9.5   (2.29) 12.1   (2.92) 79.2   (7.38) 9.6 ! (3.47)   (†) 16.6   (1.72) 14.8   (1.43) 14.6   (1.45) 22.7   (6.32) 72.8   (3.77) 6.2   (1.43) 21.0   (3.32)  
150 to 349 4.8   (0.45) 7.8   (1.03) 6.7   (0.99) 10.3   (1.58) 83.4   (2.25) 9.2   (1.71) 7.3   (1.26) 10.9   (1.62) 12.6   (1.21) 13.1   (1.24) 12.4   (1.40) 78.9   (2.92) 5.5   (1.35) 15.7   (2.38)  
350 to 499 6.1   (0.98) 5.8   (0.73) 7.4   (0.85) 8.6   (1.16) 82.3   (2.82) 8.3   (1.34) 9.4   (2.28) 10.7   (2.63) 12.1   (1.95) 10.3   (1.26) 9.8   (1.40) 85.4   (2.87)   (†) 11.5   (2.59)  
500 to 749 5.6   (0.77) 7.6   (0.67) 7.1   (0.78) 7.0   (0.75) 87.7   (1.33) 7.0   (0.92) 5.3   (0.79) 9.6   (2.07) 7.1   (1.27) 11.1   (1.91) 9.8   (2.63) 86.7   (3.74) 3.8   (1.09) 9.6 ! (3.36)  
750 or more 5.0   (0.48) 5.7   (0.57) 7.7   (0.74) 8.2   (0.79) 84.3   (1.43) 6.8   (0.94) 8.9   (1.01) 12.9   (3.14) 6.2   (1.18) 10.8   (1.64) 4.9   (0.90) 79.8   (5.61)   (†) 16.6   (4.87)  
                                                                                       
Percent of students who
     are Black, Hispanic,
     Asian, Pacific
     Islander, American
     Indian/Alaska Native,
     or Two or more races
                                                                                     
Less than 5 percent 5.1   (0.56) 8.0   (0.93) 6.8   (0.96) 7.6   (1.13) 86.6   (2.30) 4.8   (0.99) 8.6   (1.97) 13.2   (1.67) 11.0   (1.06) 12.3   (1.07)   (†) 81.4   (3.29) 5.4   (1.40) 13.2   (2.87)  
5 to 19 percent 5.8   (0.74) 6.0   (0.71) 6.8   (0.65) 7.5   (0.75) 85.6   (2.48) 6.6   (1.27) 7.8   (1.75) 10.3   (1.37) 11.1   (1.07) 11.4   (1.10) 12.5   (1.54) 78.9   (2.43) 5.0   (0.91) 16.1   (2.22)  
20 to 49 percent 5.2   (0.64) 6.2   (0.82) 9.4   (0.96) 6.5   (0.60) 84.0   (1.93) 8.0   (1.04) 8.1   (1.42) 18.9   (4.18) 15.6   (2.28) 13.8   (1.82) 15.6   (2.00) 79.0   (3.19) 3.0   (0.84) 18.0   (2.97)  
50 percent or more 5.3   (0.66) 6.8   (0.72) 6.8   (0.62) 10.3   (0.84) 83.4   (1.17) 8.7   (0.91) 7.9   (0.82) 13.6   (2.85) 13.2   (2.15) 14.7   (2.34) 18.5   (4.47) 77.0   (4.01) 7.3 ! (2.41) 15.6   (3.44)  
                                                                                       
Locale                                                                                      
City   (†)   (†)   (†) 10.1   (1.05) 84.5   (1.41) 8.0   (0.97) 7.5   (1.01)   (†)   (†)   (†) 11.4   (1.42) 78.6   (2.81) 5.2   (0.96) 16.2   (2.55)  
Suburban   (†)   (†)   (†) 8.3   (0.83) 84.3   (1.30) 7.5   (0.80) 8.3   (1.08)   (†)   (†)   (†) 12.4   (1.34) 79.1   (2.96) 4.8   (0.98) 16.2   (2.71)  
Town   (†)   (†)   (†) 6.5   (0.76) 84.9   (3.64) 7.6   (2.06) 7.5 ! (2.51)   (†)   (†)   (†) 18.0   (3.63) 82.1   (4.47) 7.5 ! (2.43) 10.3   (3.08)  
Rural   (†)   (†)   (†) 7.9   (0.99) 84.4   (1.97) 7.2   (0.97) 8.4   (1.44)   (†)   (†)   (†) 15.2   (3.30) 80.4   (4.50) 3.4 ! (1.59) 16.3   (3.86)  
—Not available.  
†Not applicable.  
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.  
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.  
NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), Characteristics of Stayers, Movers, and Leavers: Results From the Teacher Follow-up Survey 1994-95; Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results From the Teacher Follow-up Survey: 2000-01; "Public School Teacher Data File" and "Private School Teacher Data File," 2003–04 and 2007–08; and Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS), "Current and Former Teacher Data Files," 2004–05 and 2008–09. (This table was prepared December 2010.)  

2012 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest