Teacher Turnover - a $2.2 billion dollar annual cost to school districts.

Beth Mann, the TPI P-12 Liaison shared the following article:

“Revolving Door of Teachers Costs Schools Billions Every Year” is a summary of NPR’s interview with Richard Ingersoll, who studies teacher turnover and retention. In this article, Ingersoll speaks to the reasons why teachers stay in the profession and why some don’t. He also discusses some of the important factors driving the decision to stay or leave and how that impacts groups of teachers. With 40-50% of teachers gone from the profession within five years, teacher turnover is costing districts $2.2 billion annually. The good news is that more teachers are part of induction programs that have positive effects, with student achievement being better for those teachers that are part of a comprehensive induction program. Enjoy the article at:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2015/03/30/395322012/the-hidden-costs-of-teacher-turnover

Findings from a recent Mn BOT study on Minnesota Teachers

Jim Robinson shared this article from the Star Tribune: State can learn much from new study on teachers.

The article includes critical information about current teacher/student diversity statistics:
·         Of 58,000 teachers in MN, only 4% are people of color
·         Of 830,00 students,  25% are students of color
·         The population of minority students grows about 1% each year

The article also points out areas where there are shortages of qualified teachers:
·         School psychologists
·         Middle/High school math, chemistry, and physics
·         Special education
·         English as a second language

As a P-12 and higher education partnership, it is especially critical to reach out to students of color who have considered teaching, and educate all students about positions which are currently experiencing shortages.