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Retaining teachers will take changes, report says
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More California teachers would stay in the profession if they had decent working conditions, plenty of support from colleagues and administrators, and some real say in running their schools.
That's according to a teacher retention report released Thursday by the California State University Center for Teacher Quality. The study surveyed 2,000 teachers, who reported frustrations ranging from run-down classrooms to excessive paperwork.
"Those sorts of things aren't just driving teachers crazy; they're driving them out of the classroom," the report's author, Ken Futernick, said in a teleconference Thursday.
The report offers a series of recommendations for keeping teachers in the classroom at a time when the state is facing a projected teacher shortage. The state anticipates a third of current teachers will retire in the next 10 years. Beyond that, 22 percent of teachers leave the profession after their first four years on the job.
Turnover tends to be worse in low-performing schools, meaning the state's neediest students often have the least-experienced teachers, the report says. That, in turn, widens the achievement gap between poor and affluent students.
"Too many of our teachers are leaving the profession prematurely," said Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction. "It's the students from our most challenging schools who suffer the most."
The report's recommendations include:
n Asking teachers what's working and what's not in their schools often. School districts should conduct exit interviews with teachers when they leave, just as businesses do, so they can learn what needs to change.
n Funding schools adequately. Teachers want to work in well-maintained classrooms with enough textbooks for all students.
n Removing bureaucratic impediments to teaching. That includes frequent interruptions from the intercom, fruitless meetings and excessive paperwork.
n Addressing problems unique to special education teachers, who report dealing with demanding parents and complicated education plans, prompting them to move out of special education.
And what about pay? It matters to teachers, but not enough to compensate for poor working conditions, the report says.
The study's recommendations make sense to Charmon Evans, special projects coordinator for the University Preparation School in Camarillo, a charter school that partners with CSU Channel Islands to offer teacher training.
The school has done its own research on why teachers stay at a professional development school like University Prep and why they leave, Evans said. It found that teachers want to feel valued and professional.
"One way to value teachers is to ask their opinion," Evans said. "Teachers who feel valued those are the ones who are going to stay."
But teachers also need decent working conditions, said Arleigh Kidd, executive director of the teachers union for Conejo Valley, Simi Valley, Moorpark and Las Virgenes school districts. And they need the basic tools necessary to do their job specifically, textbooks and training.
"I've talked to lots of teachers in inner-city schools," Kidd said. "It wasn't that they didn't want to work there. They were frustrated because they didn't have enough books. They had inadequate facilities."
If the state implements the recommendations and cuts its attrition rate by 30 percent, it could retain roughly 5,400 teachers a year, the report says. In addition, frustrated former teachers might return to the classroom.
On the Net:
http://www.calstate.edu/teacherquality/retention
Posted by dj_here4you on April 27, 2007 at 12:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about lack of discipline in the classrooms? What about the very small tables in all classrooms, where there is NO separation of students? What about the watered down leftist-liberal, diversity ladened, feminists agendas?
What about the thousands of illegal aliens who've invaded our schools with impunity, which causes American citizens to fall behind?
And, the list goes on and on. . .
Posted by andylev on April 27, 2007 at 5:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, no one can say the taxpayers haven't done their part...california teachers are among the highest paid in the nation ...if they stay on the job, their pay goes up to $70,000, plus extra if they get higher degrees, or are bilingual....
All teachers in california and 12 other states get to pocket their social security money...none of them pay any social security, they are all exempt...
Teachers also have the voluntary nation-wide TIAA-CREFF anuity program where they can put pretax dollars...TIAA-CREFF is the mother of all
investor programs, combing money from teachers all over the country into one mammoth $300 billion stock, bond and real estate invest group...
Teachers also have CALSTRS,the $100 billion california state teachers retirement system, a state agency, which invests billions all over the woprld in stocks, bonds and real estate, so teachers can avoid the misery of social security...
If kids Don't have enough books as Arleigh Kidd claims then it is the school adminsistrations and school boards' fault because the state and federal taxpayers generously fund california schools to the tune of $10,000 per kid..which works out to $300,000 per 30 kid classroom...
If a teacher gets $100,000 for pay and benefits I want Arleigh Kidd to tell us where the other $200,000 goes....
The problem with many schools in california and elsewhere is that they are being overrun with the kids of illegal aliens...we have english speaking teachers teaching non-english speaking kids...
And if schools are run down, then it is because school adminstrators want it that way...because the taxpyers have given and given and given....
Posted by JenLynn on April 27, 2007 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The pay for California teachers may be some of the highest in the nation, BUT it is more expensive to live in California.
Posted by seducators on April 27, 2007 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, teachers in California do not pay Social Security and they do not receive Social Security and if they have earned enough quarters, they have their Social Security reduced by 2/3rds! The argument about 10k per kid and 300k per classroom makes no sense at all, that is McClintock fuzzy math. In terms of high pay, California teachers actually are the lowest paid of the five largest states according to the Rand Study, teachers in Long Island make up to $140,000 a year in some districts. California ranks 32nd in per pupil funding. The latest study, as commisioned by Arnold S., showed California schools underfunded by $40 billion a year.
Teachers also pay 8% into STRS, which is higher than people pay for Social Security. Before you write again Andylev, please try to get your facts straight. You can also call the Bush Education Department and ask for their two latest studies that show public schools are doing better than private and charter schools in math and reading.
Posted by sokol_kiev on April 27, 2007 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We all know the honest answer to "What's working and what's not" in our California school systems is OVERCROWDING as a result of the flood of ILLEGAL immigrant children who continue to overwhelm our state's public school systems. These children speak no English, make little effort to learn English, which puts a strain on the teachers' time as they have to spend more time with the non-English speaking children to the detriment of the English speaking children.
In regards to "Funding schools adequately"... our public schools are plenty well funded. The only reason our schools are at financial breaking points is not from inadequate budgets, but instead is due to the vast number of illegal immigrant children entering out public schools.
If Sacramento and the public school districts really want to fix our public schools problems and retain quality teachers... it's going to take addressing the root of the problem... AND THAT IS SECURING OUR NATION'S BORDERS AND STOPPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!
Posted by seducators on April 27, 2007 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Several of you keep saying we have "thousands of illegal immigrants in our schools". Can any of you actually name a child in school illegally? Just one? Do you have some proof? If you read the article, illegal immigrants was not on the list and it was not really about teacher pay, it was about facilities, etc.
Posted by carvergrid on April 27, 2007 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, as a public school teacher the only thing that truly concerns me about the state of education is that people like djhere4you, andylev, and sokol_kiev might have graduated from our schools! If I thought that kids left my classroom thinking that simplistically and ignorantly, I'd be ready to give up right now.
For those posters who OBVIOUSLY aren't teachers and haven't set foot in a school in years, I'd like to help you understand some stuff. First of all, like seducators already pointed out, CA ranks 32nd in the nation in per pupil funding. That has some to do with our expanding population, yes, but much much more to do with Prop 13. Did you know that kids who want to play a sport have to do serious fundraising now to pay for their uniforms and busses? Did you know our art department has seriously limited funds? Our entire school system has outdated technology? Believe me, most school districts are doing the best they can with their funds.
Secondly, any students I've ever had who were immigrants were eager, almost desperate to increase their English skills. Some of my best students were born outside the US. I never bothered to harass them into telling me if they were here legally or not because, as a teacher, I actually believe in doing something to make the world a better place, not just hating people who I'm afraid of.
So before you play the "you teachers have it made, stop whining" game...maybe you should come spend a day or so in my classroom? I'd be happy to let you guest teach for a week so you can see how beautiful the facilities are, how eager to learn all those native-born Americans are, and how easy every day is. Really, guys, I'm calling you out - think you can do it?
PS I teach English...which means that on Saturday morning instead of attending some wacko anti-immigration rally, you'd be grading papers:) Welcome to reality!
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