A study of research on teacher retention in rural China: A scoping review

Much has been written about the struggles of retaining teachers in rural China. However, a search for reviews in the past 10 years on this specific subject, written either in Chinese or English, yielded only a few brief opinion articles in mandarin on teacher attrition. Therefore, this scoping review provides a much-needed guide to school leaders and policy makers in China, as well to other jurisdictions that want to make evidence-based decisions in the hopes of improving teacher retention in schools that are primarily in rural settings. With research indicating significant positive effects on student learning due to teacher retention, it is vital for school leaders to be knowledgeable and have a sound strategic plan in place concerning this specific area. This scoping study synthesized research located from on-line databases conducted since 2016 and examined the nature and impacts of teacher retention.