" New teacher drop-out rate concern
Media Release, Wednesday 19 February 2003


An innovative professional development program for new Victorian teachers is hoping to combat the woeful attrition rate of beginning teachers in Victorian schools.

"Teacher shortages and the cost of educating them is set to become a major concern to those planning for the future of the sector," says Julie White, of Melbourne's Department of Learning and Education Development.

US studies into attrition show that nearly one-third of new US teachers drop out in their first year and that education authorities there have poured millions of dollars into induction programs to deal with the problem hoping to retain more teachers to work in the already under-resourced education sector."