Quantitative and qualitative teacher shortage and the turnover phenomenon

•A high turnover rate of teacher moving between schools.•An insufficient supply of certified teachers of core subjects.•A widespread practice of out-of-field teaching.•Hidden teacher shortage effects the quality of the teaching force.

The study measures the quantitative and qualitative teacher shortage in Israel by examining the size of the turnover phenomena, and by investigating the actions taken by school principals when coping with teacher shortage. The study is based on a national survey involving the school principals of all elementary and secondary schools in Israel. Participation rates were 80% of the total number of school principals (N = 2224). Results show a large turnover, mostly of teachers moving between schools, an insufficient supply of certified teachers of core subjects and a widespread practice of out-of-field teaching. The findings redirect the problem of quantitative teacher shortage toward the problem of a hidden shortage that bears directly on the quality of the teaching force.