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School districts across the state are grappling with teacher shortages as students return to the classroom.
Feeling the squeeze, school administrators have upped recruitment efforts, granted pay raises, given retention bonuses, offered free teaching certification programs, and even adopted shorter work weeks.
Despite these efforts, teacher retirement and attrition rates remain high while morale among educators remains low.
“Lingering stress from the pandemic is a factor, but it isn’t the only one. Inadequate pay, political attacks on educators and the failure of state leaders to protect the health and safety of students and school employees also have combined to drive down the morale of teachers to the lowest level in recent memory and endanger our public school system,” Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said. “Many of these teachers will be missing from our classrooms this fall, and for others, it is only a matter of time.”
MORE: How will Texas fix low teacher retention?
On Monday, the organization released polling results showing that 70% of members surveyed said they “were seriously considering leaving the profession as they ended a difficult school year last spring.”
The number was the highest ever recorded by the teacher moonlighting and morale survey, which has been tracking Texas teachers’ concerns since 1980.
The survey indicates the vast majority of teachers believe they have lost the support of elected state leaders as well as parents, whose support is critical to a successful public education system, the Texas State Teachers Association said.
The survey indicates the vast majority of teachers believe they have lost the support of elected state leaders as well as parents, whose support is critical to a successful public education system, the Texas State Teachers Association said.
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