Charter schools had to replace nearly more than half of their teachers between 2008 and 2010, a turnover rate on par with some of the most troubled district-run schools.

Experts say that high teacher turnover is associated with a school in turmoil and that instability often hampers student performance.

Of the 10 charter schools with the highest turnover, only one – LEARN Charter – had the majority of its students score at or above the state average on the ISAT.

Chicago’s charter teacher turnover – from an analysis of charter employee lists obtained by Catalyst Chicago – mirrors a
nationwide trend.

In a recently published study, researchers from Vanderbilt University found that charter-school teacher turnover was almost double that of traditional public schools: 25 percent vs. 14 percent, respectively. (The study used data from National Center for Education Statistics surveys for 2003-04, the most recent available.)

Charter school teachers were also more likely to leave the profession altogether, according to the study from the National Center on School Choice at Vanderbilt.
Many factors could play a role in driving up turnover.

Some charter school operators cite leadership changes. Chandra Sledge, co-director of Young Women’s Leadership Charter, says the school lost a big chunk of teachers at the end of 2009 because the principal left.

“That was the most that we’ve ever had leave at one time. This year, we didn’t have much turnover,” Sledge says. (She notes that several of the teachers who left were promoted to managerial positions within Chicago Public Schools.)

Linda Wing, director of schools and community engagement at the University of Chicago, says that the North Kenwood-Oakland Charter School has had a stable staff over the past 12 years. ...