Description/Abstract
This paper examines how exposure to disruptive students affects teacher retention using linked teacher–student administrative records from North Carolina. To address non-random classroom assignment, we instrument for classroom exposure using the school-by-grade share of disruptive students based on prior-year disciplinary infractions. A 10 percentage point increase in the share of disruptive students raises the probability of an early-career teacher leaving the school in the following year by 1.0 percentage points. Notably, working in a school environment with supportive leadership and greater teacher autonomy, particularly around student conduct policies, mitigates the impact of student disruptions.
Document Type
Working Paper
Date
1-16-2026
Keywords
Teacher turnover, student behavior
Language
English
Series
Working Papers Series
Disciplines
Economics | Education | Educational Leadership | Education Policy | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Policy
ISSN
1525-3066
Recommended Citation
Choi, Kyuhan; Shi, Ying; and Zhu, Maria, "Student Disruptions and Teacher Turnover" (2026). Center for Policy Research. 520.
https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/520
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Economics Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Education Policy Commons, Public Policy Commons
Additional Information
CPR Working Paper No. 282