As superintendents strive to reimagine experiences and outcomes for all students and to build the public trust they need to do so, they deserve responsive and meaningful support from peers and leadership experts.
“If you really want to know what it's going to take to retain great teachers, to recruit great teachers, we've got to talk to the teachers themselves,” said Mark Walker, chair of the commission.
Many administrators are relying on teachers and other staff to contact families of chronically absent students. Experts also say a focus on safety and climate will convince students to return.
"Lack of support" is the challenge that many in the education world are now zeroing in on to prevent large-scale teacher attrition in the coming years.
One of the most effective ways to rebuild classroom morale is to reduce the amount of high-stakes exams and other tests for which teachers must prepare students.
A potential solution to a statewide teacher shortage issue has education leaders feeling as though Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is undermining the qualifications of classroom instructors.
A full academic rebound will require above-average growth–and for some students, well above average–if educators hope to close achievement gaps as schools bounce back from the pandemic.
Treating teachers more like other workforce professionals would go a long way to easing the staffing constraints now challenging district leaders, particularly in STEM subjects and special education.
