Where have all the teachers gone? 🍎
Learning about all the education issues in S.C.’s public schools – not just lack of funding, but the teacher shortage that only looks like it’s going to get worse – hits particularly close to home for me.
My sister is a first-grade teacher – in the middle of her second year – and I see her facing some common struggles. Fortunately, she does teach at a great school that offers her tons of support + encourages innovative learning. (And where the children learn half of their subjects in Mandarin, which is pretty freakin’ cool, IMO.)
6,482 out of 50,443 total teachers in S.C. (7.7%) did not return to their jobs for the 2016-17 school year (21% greater loss than the prior year). 50% of those 6,482 had <5 years experience. Here in the Midlands at Richland School District One, 368 teachers did not return. And with TERI discontinuing (a huge financial incentive that allows teachers to retire, then immediately return with the same salary) in June, these numbers are only expected to drastically increase.
Why are so many teachers choosing a permanent skip day? 🍎
Believe it or not, the biggest issue – according to teachers themselves – isn’t their pay, even though the average teacher salary in S.C. is only $47,050 per year (beginning teachers’ salary is only ~$32,000), compared to Ga.’s $54K per year.
It’s the lack of R.E.S.P.E.C.T, appreciation + freedom to control classrooms + curriculum; and often, the lack of resources to teach properly. So much is asked (and required) of teachers – but it seems like the support to do what’s needed isn’t always there.
What is S.C. doing to become teacher’s pet again? 🍎
A huge importance has been placed on recruitment + retention efforts. If S.C. schools could retain 25% of teachers who leave, they would reduce the teacher shortage by 1,000 teachers – saving up to $12 million per year. (It costs anywhere from $3,000-$25,000 to replace a teacher.)
UofSC’s College of Education created Carolina TIP – a program that provides continued support for new teachers (after they graduate) for their first 3 years of teaching at Professional Development School – all free of charge. They discuss challenges with new teachers through one-on-one sessions + group settings – to help uplift + encourage them.
🏡 The Good Neighbor Next Door Program – which allows pre-Kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, plus law enforcement officers, firefighters + emergency medical technicians, to purchase homes in revitalized areas for 50% off the listing price if they agree to live in the home for 3 years.
🏦 Another cool program – which my sister takes advantage of – is the S.C. Teachers Loan. This loan program erases most student debt (up to $35K) if the recent grad teaches at a school in a critical geographical area, in a critical subject area or in a district with high-turnover rates (the third criteria newly added last year).
💰 The state is doing what it can to help, too. Last school year, S.C.’s Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement gave $6.9 million to 30 school districts with the highest teacher turnover. The money was used on things like mentoring programs ($800,000), stipends for newly hired teachers + teachers in hard-to-fill subjects ($4.7 million), and reimbursing teachers for continuing education + training ($1+ million).
It actually breaks my heart to find that S.C. was ranked 49th in WalletHub’s 2017 list of Worst States for Teachers + that we came in dead last in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best States for Education.
Another study by the U.S. News & World Report found that fewer than 1,900 S.C. college students were seeking an education degree in 2016, and a survey of high school students showed only 5% were interested in becoming a teacher.
What do you think about the issues teachers are facing and the rapidly growing shortage of them? Is the state doing enough to help the teachers + their schools? Do you have any ideas for teacher retention or really cool incentives to keep teachers around? Let us know by replying to this email or on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
And if you were able to read this newsletter, thank a teacher. Without them, none of us would be where we are today.
–Sam, with a little help from my sister, Ms. Cuevas
