Does community matter?: a study on rural chinese teachers' turnover

Teachers' retention plays a critical role in rural students' access to quality education. Previous studies on rural teacher turnover have emphasised the role of economic disadvantages, with little attention paid to non-economic factors. The present study examined the effects of teacher-community interactions and community social structure on rural teachers' intention to leave. Hierarchical Linear Model analysis was conducted with a national sample of 3,742 rural teachers in China. The descriptive statistics showed that rural teachers had a mild level of community engagement on average. However, we found that interactions between teachers and local members were significantly related to a higher level of intention to stay. Teachers working in close-knit communities were more likely to leave than their counterparts in scattered and dispersed communities. Leaders of rural schools and communities should be aware of such interactions' benefits, especially in areas with strong social ties.