ISSUE: Recruitment and Retention of Teachers
- Where will the new teachers come from? What will get them to Delaware?
We know that Delaware is an importer of teachers. One reason: Salaries in the contiguous
counties of Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are higher in almost every cell.
And we're not even taking into consideration Philadelphia or Washington, D.C.
- We know that we have a veteran teaching force. Within the next three years 25% of
Delaware's teachers will be eligible to retire.
- The 0% salary recommendation comes at a difficult time, a time when we are being
asked to do more and more. While we struggle to meet higher standards for student
achievement, the public questions school performance, despite documented improvements
in student success. For people who are working diligently to succeed, these doubts,
are draining the lifeblood of our teaching force. Who will step up to the daunting
challenge of giving more and getting less - who will dare to be our next generation
of teachers.
- There has been a shortage of qualified teachers for some time now: this situation
will reach a critical stage soon, especially since the passage of the Federal Education
Bill which requires fully certified teachers in every classroom. How will we get
them there?
ISSUE: Making the profession attractive
- We know that up to 35% of new teachers leave within five years.
We know that our statewide mentoring program is the best way to reverse that statistic.
The next-best way is attractive salaries, so that our new teachers in New Castle
County, for example, don't leave as soon as there is an opening in Pennsylvania.
- Teaching must also now compete with better-compensated, less-stressful occupations
that are now open to women.
- If we want to attract quality people to Delaware's schools, then we must give more
than lip service to that end. We can't keep taking away the rewards of teaching
and working in schools, and expect the quality of service we enjoyed in the past.
- Who will be attracted to come to Delaware if we raise the standard for teacher performance
but lower the expectations for compensation?
ISSUE: Long-term support for education vs. short-term economic downturn
- The world requires much courage of us now. As we seek to protect our vision of a
free world, the next generation will need more than the power of military might;
they will need to be well-educated and highly trained to combat terrorism and protect
their freedoms. And they will demand whatever they need in order to protect this
great society for their own children. Our schools ARE the means to ensure these
freedoms, and we must protect these schools as boldly as we now guard the American
flag.