Support for Music Education: A Case Study of Issues Concerning Teacher Retention and Attrition

This study is an investigation of several issues relating to teacher retention and attrition. In the spring of 1995, a questionnaire was sent to 225 certified teachers who had all finished a BME during the past 10 years and graduated from the same university. Results indicated that of the senders of 137 returned responses, 24 (17.5%) had chosen not to teach at that time. Specific questions concerned demographic data including years of teaching, area of specialization, amount of professional development, and especially the degree of perceived support received from administration, school, and parents. Retention of this same sample was investigated 6 years later, indicating that 34.4% of the individuals were no longer teaching at the K-college level, well below the average rate of attrition for teachers in other subject areas. Music teachers remaining in the field in 2001 held more positions prior to 1995 than those no longer teaching and regularly participated in professional development activities. Subjects' comments revealed that personal reasons and administrative support concerns were given as the primary rationale for discontent with the education profession. Analysis of gender patterns revealed that women and men leave the profession at different times during the first 10 years of their careers. Implications for teacher training as well as areas of further research are discussed.