16 October 2007 District Administration

B R I E F I N G S
NewsUpdate
THE RETIREMENT OF THOUSANDS OF BABY
boomer teachers and the departure of their much younger
counterparts fueled by the stress of working in low-performing
schools forced superintendents and recruiters across the nation
to scramble to ll teaching positions for the fall term through
summers end.
A recent study by the Center for Teacher Quality at Califor-
nia State University was conducted to address the very reason
why so many teachers leave. Te study is available online at
www.calstate.edu/teacherquality/retention.
Researchers interviewed teachers not only who had quit
or were thinking about switching schools but also who were
happy with their jobs.
Te problem is not mainly with retirement, says Tomas
G. Carroll, president of the National Commission on Teach-
ing and Americas Future. Our teacher preparation system
can accommodate the retirement rate. Te problem is that our
schools are like a bucket with holes in the bottom, and we keep
pouring in teachers.
Ken Futernick, director of K12 studies at the Center for
Teacher Quality, concedes that the teachers responses are not
representative of all teachers nationwide, but he maintains
nonetheless that the ndings are helpful in addressing the na-
tional problem of teacher turnover.
Futernick says one of the key ndings of the study is that
critical problems in the teaching and learning environment are
a driving force behind the decision of many teachers to leave.
Teachers interviewed expressed concerns over lack of time for
planning or professional development, bureaucratic impedi-
ments such as classroom interruptions, unnecessary meetings,
and too little say over how their schools are run.
FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL, AN
accredited, public, online school serving
students in grades 6 through 12, recently
announced the launch of the Florida
Virtual Global School as part of its
new Global Services division to further
enhance e-learning options for students
and educators outside of Florida.
Although students enrolling in the
Global Schools more than 80 online
courses are diverse and hail from 23
states and 11 countries including China,
England, the Philippines and Germany,
Principal Elaine McCall says that the
educational philosophy of the school is
very focused on close collaboration and
student interactivity.
Te Global School engages students
through all modalities of learning,
whether it be kinesthetic, audio-visual
or problem-solving and brings them
together through collaborative exercises,
McCall says.
Students at the Global School will have
the opportunity to work with peers and
teachers from the Florida Virtual School
and other states, regions and countries
through social networking Web sites and
other programs such as virtual eld trips
and online forums.
McCall adds that Florida Virtual and
Global School studentssome of whom
take all of their classes at the school and
others just a select few for courses that
arent available at their own districtare
less prone to feeling judged by their
teachers and are better able to directly
connect with them without having to
worry about physical or verbal cues.
Te Global Services oers specialized
professional development to train teachers,
administrators, districts and states to
deliver sound, accountable and successful
online learning experiences; handles
the licensing of online courses to other
districts; and maintains a data system of
student assessment for the teachers.
One of the core objectives of the
Virtual Global School, McCall says, is
to provide all students with an engaging
teacher-facilitated learning experience and
prepare them for postsecondary education
or the workforce.
More information about the Florida
Virtual Global School can be found at
www.vsgs.net.
Florida Goes Global with New Virtual School
A student in the Florida Virtual School
System goes online for class.
Study Examines Why Teachers Quit and What Can Be Done
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Here are some recommendations the study makes to increase
teacher retention:
Assess teaching conditions locally and continually. Surveys and/
or focus groups should be conducted regularly and continuously
with all staff.
Focus school leadership on instructional quality and high-quality
teaching and learning conditions. Managing the work environ-
ment is no less essential to the success of the school than the
functions provided by an effective instructional leader.
Determine specic challenges in retention of special education
teachers. Many factors in their leaving or staying are the same
as those for regular teachers, but there are special conditions
that are uniquely problematic for special education teachers.
Help establish statewide standards for school teaching and
learning conditions. Policy makers must have equally high ex-
pectations for the quality of schools that students attend.
Update_1007.indd 16 9/19/07 10:05:16 AM