Descriptors-BEGINNING TEACHERS CAREER CHOICE, *FACULTY MOBILITY, FAMILY INFLUENCE LABOR TURNOVER OCCUPATIONAL SURVEYS QUESTIONNAIRES, *SECONDARY SCHOOt. TEACHERS, *SOCIAL INFLUENCES TEACHER MORALE. *TEACHER PERSISTENCE

This pilot study was designed to test the hypothesis that teachers ' perceptions of the career expectations held for them by their best friend by their spouse are associated with whether they, the teachers: (1) leave education for other occupations, (2) leave their school system and enter other school systems, or (3) remain in their present school system. Of the 286 first and second-year male teachers in a midwestern urban school district in May 1%7, 150 answered mail questionnaires regarding: (1) career expectations held for them by their families and friends, (2) satisfactions with other school staff and with teaching duties, (3) aspirations for sodal prestige, (4) problems faced in the classroom, and (5) educational characteristics of students and cooperativeness of parents. On the basi s. of the first category of questions, the researchers predicted which teachers would move to other school systems or drop out of teaching by fall. Analysis of follow-up questionnaires seemed to confirm the hypothesis that group influences are a maior determining factor in teacher dropout and mobility. While further research into the importance of reference groups in teacher career decisions is warranted, it appears that efforts to reduce turnover among teachers should focus upon activities which will elicit the support of teachers ' families and friends. Induded are the 10-page questionnaire, 11 statistical tables, and a 65-item bibliography. (JS