Abstract for: A Generalized System Dynamics Model of Teacher Burnout, Emotional Exhaustion, and Retention Challenges in Public Schools

Teaching is among the most emotionally and cognitively demanding professions in modern society, and it is also one of the most prone to occupational burnout. Though numerous efforts have been made to address teacher burnout and retention, few systemic efforts document impactful interventions and their long-term effects. This system dynamics study develops a generalized simulation model for teacher burnout and retention in public schools. The simulation model is calibrated with teacher insights from group model building, data from state-level educational agencies at the building-level and then designed to test individual and structural interventions to gauge longer-term impact to teachers, students, and budgets. Beyond individually focused teacher interventions, such as stress-reduction and mindfulness, this model allows for testing interventions that include systemic changes, such as increasing teacher to student ratios, hiring additional support staff, and improving student behavior and administrative support. The result is a model that can be generalized for schools to make informed decisions based on their unique resources and constraints. This model advances our understanding of teacher burnout and retention by modeling experiences as a multi-level challenge in schools. Additionally, it accounts for the interconnected impact of teacher wellness on student thriving, a tension often debated with school reforms on the issue. The resulting model can help school leaders develop systems-informed strategies for sustainable change. Used to develop the model interface in Claude as an example of engagement tools.