Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Why Do Schools Realy Have High Teacher Turnover Rates?



























The UFT and DOE set up a consultation committeee to identify and solve the issue of high teacher turnover.  For the Queens High Schools, on one side was the UFT who brought out that the primary issue was bad principals and identified a few.  While on the other side was the Superintendents who claimed it was because teachers left for the greener pastures of the suburbs, as if they don't see their principals as a problem.    The obvious disconnect between the two sides meant that nothing was accomplished.

The problem that neither the union or the DOE are willing to address is the low morale among teachers throughout the public school system.  Both the union and the DOE turn a blind eye to the serious morale issue among teachers and to address the low morale the following steps must be implemented.
  1. Stop blaming teachers for student failures beyond their control.
  2. Stop passing students who don't deserving to pass.
  3. Stop administrative harassment of teachers.
  4. All salaries will be centrally funded and by units, not actual salary.
  5. Eliminate school based Fair Student Funding.
  6. Let teachers teach the way they see as best for their students.
  7. Eliminate Charlotte Dainelson as a rubric.
  8. Stop targeting veteran teachers.
  9. Stop the ever increasing paperwork and data mining.
  10. Remove principals that have low teacher trust factors.
While bad principals and the suburbs will always affect teacher turnover, by implementing the above steps you can allieviate the high teacher turnover that plague far too many of our schools.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can deal with bad kids. They are my problem and I can handle it. I can not deal with bad principals who are the ones who hold my career in their hands and put a roof over my head and food on the table. After over 20 years in the DOE the simple fact is the bad principals are where they are because the DOE wants them here. When I first started my principals were great and we all got along. There was no Leadership Academy, Danielson, Boomberg small school BS. Now it is all about targeting and micro managing. If it were not for my pension that I am looking at, I would be out of NYC in a heartbeat and I think many would agree with me on that. Too old to leave the district so I am stuck here till retirement.

Anonymous said...

Chaz...post that pic of the drunkard principal Namita Dwarka of Bryant. Absolutely priceless

Anonymous said...

The DOE wants a High turnover Rate! It is plain as day! The revolving door of People who enter the system and leave as ground beef from being chopped up both physically and mentally. Reason being....$$$$$$$$$ savings for the city, Pensions Medical,,,perks for the amazingly difficult work that educators do and have did in years past. Those days are over! The City doesn't give a damn if a teacher leaves the system, they know that there will be another naive person who will enter believing they will save the world. As a friend of mine who is close with some of the higher ups.... the term 5 and out has been a slogan for them.... They want the teachers in and out in 5 years,,,repeat, with another person.

Anonymous said...

why doesn't her old and wrinkled high and mighty expert chancellor give workshops on how to do it right. she must know how. lead us unfit losers into battle. show us the way to do it right. then the blame could rest on those broad shoulders of hers when the 3020's come a calling. the nyshitty school system is a laughing stock, I can hear them all the way up to beacon ny!!!

Anonymous said...

I am welcoming the teacher shortage with open arms. Pretty soon the city is going to be in serious need for warm bodies in front of the classrooms. Smart principals should know that they better keep a few veterans around who know how to handle rough kids unless they want chaos outside their office.

Anonymous said...

You know why things are they way they are in NYC? Too many parents simply don't give a shit. They could care less if their kid's teacher has 2 or 20 years experience. They could care less if their kid's teacher has a masters plus 30 credits or not. However, out in the suburbs, that is EXACTLY what the parents want. They want teachers with experience and expertise and they are willing to demand that from their school district. Because parents in NYC don't care, that means City Hall does not care and then they send the word out to the DOE to make life so miserable for teachers that they leave which means the city saves money. For the life of me, I really think it was Bloomberg who put us in this mess. I taught before his reign and things were so much better then and teachers were treated with respect.

Anonymous said...

Chancellor Fariña should be ashamed of what is happening to experienced teachers around the city when a shortage is already happening.

Anonymous said...

So I'm at a very well known school that was established over a decade ago. We have a very good reputation. Our grad rate is upper 80's and our college ready rate is above average. We have a tremendous teacher turnover rate despite these great numbers and no one can stand the admin. The principal hired his own race for all admin slots and pretty much made it clear that if you weren't his race, you'd best be leaving. The meetings are absurd. The amount of work is insane. Teachers that have won awards and honors have left in droves. I have realized that this behavior has no consequences and i myself am just lying low. It is all about technique. Survival of the fittest. When a school has such a superior grad rate while boasting a disgraceful teacher turnover rate, one must seriously question why and why is it being allowed?

Anonymous said...

To 10:23 - you are so right on the money!
This is the unspoken problem in many places.
In general, white people are open to people of other races and it is we whites who promote 'multi-culturalism,' 'diversity,' and 'respect for all.' This is a white people invention.

However, people of other races unabashedly promote their own racial interests and people - sometimes blatantly so. We must shut up and take it.

So sad.

Anonymous said...

10:23, ditto at my school. Every single member of the administration from principal down to office helpers - 100% latino, mostly puertorican and Colombian. They only hire their own. We're talking about 20 staff members here - all one ethnic background. Are they any schools left in NYC that would have an all-white admin/office staff? Not on your life. But other groups can do it, and happily claim 'diversity.'

We white staff members on the teaching side have dwindled in numbers from over 90% ten years ago, to only about 25% today and falling. I want to ride it out until retirement, and I pretend to be all pro illegal immigration and pro-latino culture to survive, which is pretty much the only way they will leave you alone.

Our country is finished. In 20 years, you will not recognize America anymore. Tribalism comes upon inviting all the tribes of the world to come and bump elbows in the same place.

Anonymous said...

White male NYC teacher here with over 20 years in the DOE. I gotta call bullshit on any of you folks who are complaining about the race of your staff. You work with who you work with. If you got beef with that then you should get the Hell out of the DOE. I never cared or even thought about the race of my admins or staff. We work for the city of New York where anybody with the right credentials can work their way up the system. If you got beef with the fact that you have Latino admins, that is your problem. Go get an administrator license and start a small school of your own. The problem we all face has nothing to do with the race of our admins, the real problem is that the DOE is telling these admins to take out veteran teachers. We all cost the same amount of money regardless of our race.

waitingforsupport said...

@10:23 i believe i know the school you are referencing because your principal trained the current principal of a school in Manhattan. There's low moral and no minority educators at the "trainee's" school.

waitingforsupport said...

Excellent point 6:46 pm. I agree with you and wish you a successful school year.

waitingforsupport said...

@10:23 i believe i know the school you are referencing because your principal trained the current principal of a school in Manhattan. There's low moral and no minority educators at the "trainee's" school.

Anonymous said...

There are actually quite a few schools in Manhattan, where the staff is all white. (Or maybe one African-American dean.) I find this disturbing. I'm a Caucasian atr in Harlem, now, and I feel much more comfortable, with a multi-cultural staff. As it should be.

Anonymous said...

Well written 6:46PM.

Anonymous said...

Many sites have all young caucasians. There's a latino/hispanic principal that has practically all caucasian young staff. Depends on where you go and what you are exposed to. Please let's not focus on race, ethnicity. Let's focus on the fact that veteran staff get targetted period. Let's focus on that this profession is becoming a revolving door. Let's focus on the important issues. People are people and bring their preferences to the workplace. Sue for discrimination, file with EEOC or grieve it if you feel your rights are being violated at a particular site.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the anti-white male teacher sentiment in the doe. It’s so true.

I’m 39. 17 Year’s experience and I’ve felt that tension from day one when my African American AP took 3 months to learn my name.

Now throw into the mix that I’m Jewish. I learned very fast not to let the kids or other colleagues know about my religion bc both kids and staff members made remarks that were hateful

And guess what? Principal said ‘welcome to teaching’

But when a black teacher was called a bad word by a student it was not tolerated and it shouldn’t have been

All I am saying is until you walk in the shoes of a white kale doe teacher you should say nothing

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the anti-white male teacher sentiment in the doe. It’s so true.

I’m 39. 17 Year’s experience and I’ve felt that tension from day one when my African American AP took 3 months to learn my name.

Now throw into the mix that I’m Jewish. I learned very fast not to let the kids or other colleagues know about my religion bc both kids and staff members made remarks that were hateful

And guess what? Principal said ‘welcome to teaching’

But when a black teacher was called a bad word by a student it was not tolerated and it shouldn’t have been

All I am saying is until you walk in the shoes of a white kale doe teacher you should say nothing

Highly Effective King Clovis said...

There might be some truth to the racism thing, but that isn't the larger issue. It's like others said, the incompetency of principals. A woman I met in the ATR pool is currently fighting a principal of a good school who is a poor vindictive leader. Granted I mostly just get her side, but I don't think she's lying. She isn't even placed there anymore!

Anonymous said...

To 6:46, you probably have not been the victim of racism, but some white people are, and they have no one to go to for help because, as they say, all white people are 'racist' and 'deserve' whatever they get.

Anonymous said...

To 6:46, your attitude is what has white people in trouble in this country and in Europe. A lot of blacks and Latinos promote themselves and don't give a damn about whites. They use them to their own advantage. Many despise whites, but take the goodies they offer. You don't grasp the level of hostility a lot of minorities hold for whites. I'm not white and the level of disdain for whites disturbs me!