Newly Hired Teacher Mobility in Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools: An Application of Segmented Labor Market Theory

Compared with traditional public schools (TPS), charter schools on average have much higher teacher turnover rates. Our study draws on segmented labor market theory to examine the dynamics of the teacher labor market in charters and TPS, focusing on newly hired teachers. Based on longitudinal data for Utah's public school teachers, we employ multiple methods to determine how the timing of newly hired teachers' decisions to transfer or exit can be attributed to the sector differences. Results indicate that newly hired teachers in charters are more likely to exit the teaching profession and less likely to transfer to another school than TPS teachers.