Consider how you would lay out a plan for school staff on reducing the risk of secondary or vicarious trauma in a presentation. Reflect and consider at least two ways that educators and school

41Controversial Issues in Education

Teacher Attrition: The Impacts of Stress By Dionna Farmer

Teachers are subject to high amounts of stress because of issues they experience through their work environment. Because education is a profession filled with relationship building, problematic relationships with students and parents can cause teachers undue stress. Teachers are subjected to a myriad of issues, from violence within the classroom to workplace expectations that are beyond the scope of their professional knowledge. Teachers may also experience compassion fatigue and burnout from constantly working with students who have severe issues. Parents and unsupportive administrators are also causing the educational workplace to be stressful and embedding a culture that causes teachers to leave the profession. State and federal policies limit the ability of educators to utilize mental health benefits for situations that they experience as a result of their employment. This research summarizes the extent and scope of how those who work in the field of education are put at risk for mental health issues resulting from stress on the job.

Nationwide in the United States, approximately 20% of teachers will leave the profession by the end of their third year of teaching, and 50% will leave by the

end of their fifth year (Boe et al., 2008). With 17% of new teachers leaving after their first year and 10% of veteran teachers (with 10 or more years of experience) leaving the profession annually, significant numbers of classroom teachers are exiting the profession each year and seeking new career paths (Blatt, 2016). According to the United States Labor Department, during the first 10 months of 2018, public school teachers quit at an average rate of 83 per 10,000 each month (Hackman & Morath, 2018). Although this is still low compared to “the rate for American workers overall—231 voluntary departures per 10 thousand workers in 2018—it is the highest rate for public educators since such records began in 2001” (Hackman & Morath, 2018).

Work-related stress is a well-known concept with roots in every facet of a teacher’s workday. Teachers are expected to have constant knowledge of each student’s mental state in order to make necessary referrals. Many administrators are exploiting teachers by unfair treatment and giving staff members more work than they can manage on top of their daily duties (Jacobs & Teise, 2019). When situations arise where students are put in direct danger, teachers are in the forefront of ensuring their safety. Teachers are experiencing compassion fatigue at a level that is unprecedented. The expectations put on educators in their work environment have a direct relationship to the current mental state of educators.

Special educators are at particular risk. The 2012-2013 Teacher Follow Up Survey (TFS) indicated that nearly 20% of teachers in the field of special education either moved schools or left the profession (NCES, 2014). When coupled with approximately 10% of special educators who transfer to general education each year, the numbers are alarming. Kersaint et al. (2007) noted that one significant reason for these departures is the emotional stress involved in teaching special education. Williams and Dikes (2015) confirmed that special education teachers report high levels of both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. As these feelings are coupled with low levels of personal accomplishment, special education teachers experience burnout at higher rates and more quickly than their general education

42 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators

peers, likely contributing to their higher rates of turnover (Mitchell & Arnold, 2004; Williams & Dikes, 2015).

The perceptions that teachers have related to working conditions influence positive or negative outlooks at a particular time. Perceptions of working conditions have also been linked to teacher satisfaction (Boyd et al., 2011). Teachers who report more positive working conditions also report greater satisfaction with teaching, while those who report less satisfaction report less than desirable working conditions. This holds true when comparing teachers within the same school (Boyd et al., 2011). Although the correlation of working conditions to satisfaction is not surprising, this serves as a reminder that an individual’s perceptions are his or her own reality.

In their 2007 study, Kersaint et al. examined the factors that influenced teachers in Florida who had either left the profession or remained. They identified six factors that influenced teachers’ decisions regarding staying or leaving:

• administrative support • financial benefits • paperwork/assessment • family responsibilities • joy of teaching • time with family. (p. 508)

Loeb et al. (2005) indicated that the strongest predictor of teacher stress is how a teacher perceives his or her workplace characteristics. Existing research has examined how workplace characteristics, such as administrative support, student behavior, classroom autonomy, teaching conditions, school organization, and professional culture impact teacher turnover (e.g., Boyd et al., 2011; Buckley et al., 2005; DeAngelis & Presley, 2011; Kelly & Northrop, 2015; Tye & O’Brien, 2002). Although these factors can be examined individually, with some having greater impact on individual teachers than others, it is likely that they do not function in isolation from one another. Furthermore, Kukla-Acevedo (2009) stated that workplace characteristics are “driven by administrator behavior” (p. 443), which provides additional evidence of the interconnectivity of these factors. Boyd et al. (2011) stated, “Not surprisingly, schools with more positive working conditions on one dimension also tend to have more positive working conditions [in] other dimensions” (p. 318).

Factors in Perceptions of Working Conditions School Leadership

Supportive principals are indirectly able to alleviate the stress that their teachers feel (Saekiet al., 2018). Administrative support, as defined by Boyd et al. (2011), is “the extent to which principals and other school leaders make teachers’ work easier and help them to improve their teaching” (p.307). A lack of administrative support plays an important role in teacher attrition (Struyven & Vanthournout, 2014). Fifty- one percent of movers indicated that poor administrative support was a reason for dissatisfaction in their previous workplace, while 32% of leavers indicated it as a factor of their dissatisfaction (Ingersoll, 2000). Referring to “executive support,” (2013, p. 265), Burke at al. argued that support provided by school leaders strongly impacts a teacher’s decision to remain in the profession. Kersaint et al. (2007) also found that a lack of administrative support plays a role in teachers’ decision to leave the profession.

43Controversial Issues in Education

Ladd (2011) utilized the results of a statewide teacher survey in North Carolina to explore the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of their working conditions and their departure rates from their schools. The survey examined working conditions by asking teachers about the quality of school leadership, professional development opportunities, opportunities for collaboration, facilities and resources, and growth and leadership opportunities for teachers. Ladd analyzed survey items designed to measure the quality of school leadership, including whether the teachers viewed the administrator(s) as supportive with student discipline and classroom instruction, as well as if they were perceived to be fair with the evaluation process, included teachers in decision making, upheld high expectations of both students and teachers, and were trustworthy. Ladd found that the quality of school leadership was the highest predictor of teacher departure rates of all working-condition variables. Additionally, she found that the quality of school leadership had a stronger effect on teacher stress than the school characteristics of percentage of free or reduced lunch prices or the percentage of students of racial minorities.

Positive Relationships Burke et al. (2013) found that the most influential factor identified by beginning

teachers in their decision to remain in the profession was “student involvement,” described as the “extent to which you engage your students” (p. 265). This aligned with existing literature that explored the motivations of those entering the teaching profession, including the desire “to make a difference in the lives of their…students” (p. 265). Individuals who find that their visions of what teaching would be like do not match the reality of their experiences are more likely to leave the profession (Rinke, 2013).

Positive staff relationships have also been found to impact teacher stress, with teachers being more likely to stay in schools in which they engaged in positive relationships. Allensworth et al. (2009) defined positive relationships as those that are “trusting and working” and that allow teachers to feel comfortable engaging in discourse with their peers about their challenges and seeking advice from others. Correspondingly, collegial support and relationships play an important role in teacher attrition (Burke et al., 2013). Collegial support refers to the level of support offered by other teachers within school, which is a great importance to teachers, particularly new and beginning teachers. Similarly, positive relationships within the school setting with colleagues and between individuals who are involved in student learning allow for professional collaboration, which leads to higher levels of stability among a faculty (Burke et al., 2013). One may conclude that when positive relationships and collegial support are missing, the likelihood of teachers moving or leaving increases.

An individual’s desire to be liked, accepted, included, and supported is not exclusive to person-group interactions but is also applicable at the person-individual level, defined as the compatibility between an individual and a significant other in his or her work environment. Hargreaves (2001) explained that, although “classroom responsibilities are at the core of teachers’ work, it is teachers’ relations with other adults that seem to generate the most heightened expressions of emotionality among them” (p. 506). In fact, while many teachers describe their work of teaching as a source of pleasure, negative emotions such as dissatisfaction, anger, frustration, and fear seem to surface more frequently when describing their professional relationships (Hargreaves, 2001). The findings of the study described in this article

Dionna Farmer has completed her fourth year as a Grade 6 International Baccalaureate English Language Arts teacher at Sebastian River Middle School in Sebastian, Florida. Throughout her 14-year career, she has taught at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels and enjoys mentoring new teachers and collaborating with veteran teachers. A member of Beta Nu Chapter in Florida State Organization, Farmer is currently in her second year of doctoral studies at Florida Southern College. Her dissertation focus is how the field of education mentally affects teachers.

[email protected] com

44 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators

differed slightly from those of Hargreaves (2001). Each of the participants described in detail their interactions with individuals within their new building, primarily their building administrator. However, participants who experienced a strong fit with their administrators expressed positive emotions such as joy, happiness, and relief when describing their new professional relationships.

Mental Health Issues Teachers have reported increased contact with health providers due to increased

disaster exposure attributed to traumatic events such as school shootings and community violence. Schools have increased code-red, active-shooter drills and professional development to teachers related to mental health for children (Green, 2016). For example, after the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, about 60% of the staff left. High turnover is common after an event such as this because one of the most common ways of coping is to run from a situation.

It is common, furthermore, for those who work in professions that help people to experience compassion fatigue. This type of fatigue is caused by being vested in a situation with high emotion (Hupe & Stevenson, 2019). Compassion fatigue is inevitable among professionals who advocate for children (Hupe & Stevenson, 2019). Educators work daily with children who come to school with a variety of needs. Due to the likelihood of teaching children who have experienced trauma, teachers may acquire indirect symptoms such as interpersonal isolation, diminished professional performance, and behavioral changes. Because of the extreme nature of the needs of many children, educators are vulnerable to experiencing secondary traumatic stress. Teachers who have experienced secondary traumatic stress reported having feelings of self-doubt and blame, restlessness, and haunting imagery of the children (Hupe & Stevenson, 2019).

Stress is considered the main factor contributing to job dissatisfaction, job- related illness, and early retirement. Stress research has focused on identifying specific stressors and the reaction that comes from those stressors (Brenner et al., 1985). Particularly, teachers’ stress results from their work responsibilities. This level of stress can also come from work demands that are beyond the scope of their professional understanding (Ekornes, 2017). For example, first-year teachers are evaluated at the same level as a veteran teacher. This can be overwhelming to someone who has just entered the teaching profession. Even with peer support, a new teacher may not understand the acronyms and terms used in conversation with other teachers or administrators. Teachers who repeatedly receive exposure to emotionally charged social situations will experience a feeling of emotional fatigue that will eventually cause them to leave the profession (Schwarzer, Schmitz & Tang, 2000).

The effects of work-related stress are associated with depression, anxiety, muscle pain, headaches, and insomnia (Aznaret al., 2006). A variety of factors within the workplace, such as support, long hours, and student behavior, can contribute to teacher stress (Saekiet al., 2018). Stress is heightened when there is an actual or threatened loss of valued resources. A balanced life between work and home has been identified as a positive resource for individuals looking to abolish stress (Fontinha et al., 2019). Individuals who either take work home or work more than 50 hours per week tend to show less mental well-being on psychological assessments.

45Controversial Issues in Education

Mental Health Assistance for Teachers Unfortunately, at this time, no bills or policies exist that directly address the need

of mental health benefits specifically for teachers. Title XXIX, Chapter 394: Part 1, Florida Mental Health Act addresses the overall needs, assessments, and evaluations of those giving referrals to mental health facilities and eligibility for reimbursement of services. The statute is written in a general format and primarily addresses minors, veterans, and those who are mentally incapacitated.

The United States Congress enacted the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008. This federal law requires private health insurance companies to have a parity for mental health and addiction benefits (MHPAEA, 2008). This act addressed the lack of access for mental health benefits by providing the same level of coverage as provided for physical health problems. Several issues exist with his act, however. Those who have medical insurance through a group plan (of 50 or more people) are eligible to utilize mental health benefits. Many teachers opt to utilize their employer’s medical insurance plans. Should staff members or educators not opt to sign up for the employer’s insurance, they would not be eligible for utilizing the mental health benefits. The MHPAEA does not include the financial issues that come with copayments, deductibles, and utilization limits (Cunningham, 1970) that would cost educators more than they could afford. Teachers hand in more medical insurance claims than people in other professions, often blaming stress as their reason for sick leave from school (Olivier & Venter, 2003).

Other Key Factors in Decisions to Stay or Leave the Profession Assessment and Accountability

In the current movement of high-stakes assessments, one can argue that teachers endure a high amount of stress. Test-based accountability policies have been reported by teachers as associated with high levels of stress. The accountability policies have a direct correlation to negative workforce outcomes (Saeki et al., 2018). Approximately 30% of teachers have experienced clinically significant anxiety specifically related to test-based accountability policies (von der Embse et al., 2015). Teachers in less-typically-tested Grades K-2 also experience a high level of stress. Teachers in state- testing grade levels are expected to abide by accountability policies that require their students to take an informal assessment of their reading and math knowledge (Saekiet al., 2018). Teachers thus work in conditions where student achievement is directly linked to their annual evaluation, and accountability policies that use student test scores to calculate the proficiency of teachers have damaging consequences on the teacher’s mental health. Teachers have also become more involved in voicing their concerns regarding educational policy and reform due to the fact that educational policy is swiftly implemented at the district level and has a direct impact on a teacher’s work life (Loeb et al., 2013).

Kersaint et al. (2007) found that paperwork and assessment play a role in teacher attrition, particularly within the middle and high school levels. Santoro (2018) explained unprecedented expectations to collect, analyze, and maintain voluminous amounts of data and information and the effects on the teacher workforce. She described this process of intensification as “the increased professional demands added to teachers’ workloads without concomitant time provided to incorporate new expectations or any reduction in previous duties” (Santoro, 2018, p. 28). Although some teachers “may accept the intensification of their work when it is held out as a

46 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators

promise of professionalism” (Santoro, 2018, p. 28), others comply simply to avoid disciplinary action or poor performance evaluations. Regardless, when left to fester, intensification often results in increased feelings of job dissatisfaction and burnout.

Equitable Education Equitable education is a stress that teachers concede for their students. If primary

and secondary education leaves gaps in supporting students, then the students who come from an uneducated background are not going to receive the same educational opportunities as their peers. Teachers are then overloaded to ensure that students who have a weaker educational background are mastering grade-level content (Pachane & Melo Vitorino, 2015). Under ESSA, research-based interventions are required for children who are academically behind their peers. These interventions require implementation by teachers within the classroom, which in turn requires teachers to have not only knowledge of research-based intervention but also an understanding of how to use the intervention and keep records of data each time the intervention is used (Zinskie & Rea, 2016). Ensuring that students from a weakened educational background are mastering grade level content is another example of a stressor for teachers who want their students to succeed but do not have the time to teach content with fidelity.

The ESSA revised and reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It followed a previous reauthorization known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB). After a decade of NCLB’s education reform policies, which included high- stakes accountability policies of standardized testing, teacher evaluation systems, and changes in collective bargaining agreements, teachers and educational leaders began a grassroots movement to reform education (Zinskie & Rea, 2016).

Parental Involvement Chavkin (1993) noted a plethora of research that proves a disconnect between

what is considered parental involvement and teacher-parent interaction. Dealing with adverse events caused by parents contributes to the mental health strain on teachers (Bauer et al., 2007). Teachers understand that their students are supported when a positive relationship is built between school and home, and thus pressure exists for teachers to build such a relationship with parents so that the student receives optimal academic support at home (Prakke et al., 2007). The strongest predictor of a teacher feeling disconnected from his or her work comes directly from negative relations with parents (Ekornes, 2017) ). A negative relationship between a teacher and parent directly stresses the education that is provided for students. Research also shows that violence demonstrated toward teachers by parents and/or students impacts the value of instruction that teachers are able to deliver (Fisher & Kettl, 2003).

Discipline Twenty-two percent of movers and 24% of leavers stated that discipline and

behavior issues were reasons for high stress and causes for leaving a school (Ingersoll, 2000). According to Kelly and Northrop (2015), “the most important organizational determinant of attrition is the behavioral climate of the school; teachers are much more likely to leave a school with disruptive, inattentive, or hostile students” (p. 630). Their findings aligned with those of previous researchers (Guarino et al., 2006; Ingersoll, 2001; Kelly, 2004). Teachers also indicated low levels of student engagement and lack of motivation as factors that influenced their level of stress (Tye & O’Brien, 2002). School safety refers to “school conditions that affect the

47Controversial Issues in Education

physical and psychological well-being of students and teachers” (Boyd et al., 2011, p. 308). Safety concerns range from classroom misconduct to violent behavior and/ or criminal activity that may result in arrest. Not surprisingly, schools that struggle to maintain a safe school environment have higher levels of teacher stress and turnover.

School Violence Violence within schools is becoming more and more common. According

to the National Center for Education Statistics, 5.8% of the nation’s 3.8 million teachers had been physically attacked by a student (National Center for Education Statistics, 2014). Forty-four percent of teachers who had been victims of physical assault reflected that the attacks resulted in a negative impact on their job performance. In the past 10 years, bills proposed throughout the United States have sought punitive measures toward violent students, but the bills rarely received unified support. For example, a bill proposed through the legislature in Wisconsin was referred to as the Teacher Protection Act. This bill would have allowed teachers to remove a violent student from the classroom setting for up to 2 school days (Will, 2018). Unfortunately, support for this bill was insufficient, and it died during the legislative session prior to making it to the Wisconsin Senate.

Conclusion The public school system in the United States is charged with providing high-

quality education to every student in Kindergarten through Grade 12. To accomplish this tremendous task, an ample supply of skillful, trained individuals willing to serve as teachers (Guarino et al., 2006) is needed. Various factors related to occupational stress have a direct correlation to the supply of qualified teachers who choose to continue in the profession (Saeki et al., 2018). A need exists to provide resources to educators for dealing with job-related stressors. According to a 2015 Stress in America survey, only 25.5% of schools offered stress management education to staff. Many districts offer programs that address wellness but only at a basic level of understanding (Lever & Mayworm, 2017).

Daily, teachers ensure the health and safety of students, engage multiple students toward mastery of standards, collaborate with colleagues to create lessons or assessments, submit documentation about student progress, communicate with parents, and attend informational meetings set forth by school administrators. Teachers who encounter high levels of stress from poor work conditions, such as inadequate time for planning and preparation coupled with teaching a heavy workload, have shown increasingly negative health that includes emotional exhaustion (Klassen & Chiu, 2010). This core stress does not include the time that teachers put into involvement on various school committees or after-school tutoring that enhances student achievement and may qualify as a highly effective feature on evaluations. Workplace characteristics such as administrative support, school organization, and professional culture all influence one’s decision about his or her position for the subsequent school year (DeAngelis & Presley, 2011). Ultimately, teachers who believe that their work is meaningless will experience a decline in mental health that will culminate in their leaving the profession (Hupe & Stevenson, 2019).

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