ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses opportunity structure of the Education Department in which state school teachers in Tasmania pursue their careers, and with documenting the main changes that have occurred in this opportunity structure. In order to explain adequately teacher career patterns, in the case study of the Tasmanian state school system, it is necessary to be aware of the contextual factors, or opportunity structure, that has existed for teachers in the Education Department concerned over the period being examined, up until the end of 1988. There were significant changes in the structural characteristics of the school system within which teachers work, which were likely to have had an important affect on teacher careers. There has been a gradual decrease in the number of schools in Tasmania, while over the same period there has been an increase in number of student enrolments. The criteria used in determining the promotion of teachers were set out in Regulation 66 of the Tasmanian Education Department.
