Reasons Tennessee vocational agriculture teachers leave the profession

The primary objective of the study was to determine the reasons why Tennessee vocational agriculture teachers leave the profession. A secondary objective was to compare influencing factors placed into the following categories: personal reasons, job characteristic reasons, administrative reasons, and student reasons. Ninety-six former Tennessee vocational agriculture teachers who left the profession from July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1982 were used for the study. The data were obtained from a 33-item Likert-type questionnaire developed by the investigator. The computer services of the University of Tennessee were used to statistically test the data and determine if significant differences existed among the factors being compared. The top five factors which held the most influence in causing teachers to leave were: (1) There was little chance for advancement, (2) salary was too low for the amount of hours worked, (3) There were students in class who should not be in agriculture, (4) promotions and salaries in other agricultural areas were more promising, and (5) desired better economic and social conditions. It was also found that student reasons, collectively, had more influence in causing teachers to leave than did job characteristic reasons, personal reasons, or administrative reasons.