Mass. teacher turnover was flat, but diversity increased during the pandemic (WBUR)

WBUR – Massachusetts teachers largely stayed in their jobs during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. That analysis also revealed some surprising trends, like a significant increase in incoming teacher diversity.

Turnover during the 2019-2020 school year was just over 8%, which is in line with the state’s five-year average, according to a recent teacher workforce analysis from the Wheelock Education Policy Center at Boston University. But researchers Andrew Bacher-Hicks, Olivia Chi, and Alexis Orellana found that fewer teachers at schools serving high numbers of economically disadvantaged students left their jobs, a surprising break from the historical trend.