Legislative Governor’s Education Reform Commission
Educators Share Insight on Teacher Recruitment, Retention and Compensation
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bout 40 Georgia educators weighed in on teacher recruitment, retention and compensation this spring as guests of a subcommittee of the Governor’s Education Reform Commission. The subcommittee is headed by PAGE member Pam Williams, 2011 Georgia Teacher of the Year. “It was a lively afternoon!” said PAGE Board Member Kelli
De Guire of Gordon County. “As educators, it is vital that we keep up and stay informed. This commission will be changing the (QBE) school funding formula or create a new one, and it will affect our employment, compensation and retirement.” Summarized below are comments submitted to the commission by several PAGE members invited to attend the subcommittee meeting.
Stephanie Davis Howard, Marietta High School, Cobb County, PAGE President-Elect Attrition rates are higher in middle and high school teachers than elementary teachers, especially in math and science. Factors that contribute may include the following: Increased Teacher Accountability: Teachers are accountable for student progress, regardless of transiency, truancy, motivation and other socioeconomic factors. Additional Duties: With beforeand after-school, lunch, restroom and between-class duties, teachers often cannot monitor students as they enter the classroom. These demands also cut into time to assist students and prepare lessons. Under TKES, teachers are also expected to attend more evening and weekend programs. Encroachment on Planning Periods: Planning periods used for professional training and parent/teacher conferences, for example, can be scheduled more efficiently. Many teachers feel that meetings are held just to document collaboration. Infringement on Instructional Time: Teachers are held accountable for student progress, but students are often excused for field trips, assemblies, pep rallies, school programs and club duties. Testing: Test preparation, test review and testing take up much of the school year. In addition, changes in assessment are made before good data can be collected and students can benefit. Consider implementing a new cohort when major changes are made in curriculum or assessment. Student Behavior and Discipline: We need a paradigm shift regarding discipline. Disruptors in the classroom impede student learning, but perhaps we should shift to more positive measures. We know that minorities receive
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punitive outcomes at a higher rate. The key is consistency in administration of the discipline policy. (Teachers are held accountable for student progress, even if a student is suspended, transient or frequently absent.) Compensation and Pay for Performance: Furloughs, salary freezes and job losses due to decreased funding have significantly impacted educators. Salaries should be commensurate with duties. Teachers used to rely on summer jobs to supplement their 10-month income, but the school year now begins in late July and many teachers spend summers completing professional learning and/or preparing for the school year. If teachers are to work for a full year, their compensation should reflect this. Furthermore, teacher salary, compensation and retirement should be studied as a comprehensive package, not piecemeal. Look to packages offered by countries and states with high student success rates. Until educators become more confident with TKES, it should not be tied to the salary schedule. Reliability of SLDS, student and parent surveys, student transiency and student motivation all influence performance, but how will evaluations by less-than-effective administrators be addressed? How does the system address content area teachers versus teachers of electives? Secondary science teachers, which have the highest attrition rate, generally have both a lecture component and a lab component. These teachers likely feel undercompensated. Guard Against Burnout: Give teachers an opportunity to hold a variety of positions. Some packages offer leadership opportunities, complete with a stipend, concurrent with teaching duties.
Contrary to what we’d like to believe, a highly effective teacher does not multitask well. One can do two different jobs adequately but not necessarily well. An opportunity to come out of the classroom every few years — as a teacher mentor, content area coach, administrator or as a Response to Intervention or Student Support Team coordinator, for example — without penalty, may strengthen teachers and give them a valuable new perspective. An alternative is to offer a paid sabbatical during a teacher’s tenure. Teacher Recruitment: Many people, including some policymakers, still harbor the attitude that, “If you can’t, teach.” Likewise, many intellectual students choose to study pre-med, pre-law, engineering, etc. Teaching is sometimes one’s back-up plan. We must recruit talented youth beginning in secondary school. Ineffective teachers still navigate through the system because the right questions are not being asked. Someone who does not like children should not be in the classroom. Someone who cannot “deal” with a diverse population should not be in public school. It does not take three to four years to determine if this is the case. In fact, our faculty and administrative staff should reflect the district demographics. Georgia has several military installations. Service members who are separating or retiring provide an excellent pool of potential educators. Many are competent in working with a diverse population of young people. Georgia’s adoption of Green to Gold or similar programs to move these individuals quickly through a certification process has been effective.
May/June 2015
