NEARLY HALF OF TEXAS TEACHERS WANT TO QUIT, STUDY FINDS

The Houston Chronicle ^ | 25 April 2004

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

AUSTIN -- Nearly half of Texas teachers are considering leaving the profession, according to a study released Friday. The 45 percent represents a record high in the survey, which has been conducted every two years since 1980. The top reasons given for considering leaving the profession were working conditions (41 percent) and compensation (25 percent).

The study, "Texas Teachers, Moonlighting, and Morale," also found that 35 percent of teachers are moonlighting an average of 10 hours a week in order to make ends meet, up from 26 percent who reported working a second job two years ago. The extra work brought in an average $4,705 a year. Researchers at Sam Houston State University conducted the study for the Texas State Teachers Association.

According to the report, the average Texas teacher is a 43-year-old female with a bachelor's degree who earns $41,396 and is married with a working spouse. Forty-eight percent are the family breadwinner. Teachers said the top problems they face are discipline (58 percent) and paperwork (34 percent). They also indicated they are spending an average of 14 additional hours a week working at home, but 69 percent still don't feel like they have time to prepare.

"Given the stress, the hours, the lack of support, and the inadequate salary, it is no surprise that the teacher shortage is getting worse and that experienced teachers are getting out of the profession," said Donna New Haschke, TSTA president. New Haschke said she hopes the Legislature considers the needs of teachers as it addresses education finance.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Interesting study. Glass half empty. Seems that more than half want to keep working. However, perhaps there is a discipline problem when students are telling teachers off. Adults seldom allow such behavior in the adult workplace. Or, do they?

[bcoffey]

I'm surprised the number is as low as 50%.

When surveys are done of industry in general, the chief motivator for 90% of employees is the prospect of retirement.

[xrp]

Considering that teachers work 180-190 days a year, $41,000 (or $215/day) is pretty good pay.

[tiamat]

It's a thankless job for the most part.

And potentialy dangerous

Both from a litigation stand-point, as well as physicallyy.....

[Drango]

Nearly half of Texas teachers are considering leaving the profession

And do what? How many Tupperware salesmen do we need?

[traumer]

So "based on the study" bring in THOUSANDS of H1-B from India. Just in case...

[TheFamousMister]

You can only discipline students as far as the rules will let you go - and in many school districts, it's not very far.

As for teacher pay - the figures are misleading - salaries for teachers are often measured in total compensation, with retirement, health care and other things being subtracted from right off the top. Many school districts also do not cntribute to social security, meaning that teachers get only their retirement and not Social Security.

ALSO - teachers are required to get their Master's degrees and continue education beyond that, which comes out of their pockets and the many many days of rest.

AND - the 180-190 working days - add an extra day to each week, as most teachers do in work done at home, and that brings the total to 230+ then (plus the class days for continuing education)

[syriacus]

Bring back sabbaticals.

[Clara Lou]

And do what? How many Tupperware salesmen do we need?
Wattsa matter? Afraid of the competition?

[traumer]

I know some laid off hi-tech people who went to teaching TO SURVIVE...

They are ready to jump out if the job market 'recovers'(?)

[Migraine]

I'm a teacher. So is my wife. We've been in the same district for over 30 years. We've always known where the door is, but we love doing what we do, so the door has never appeared very enticing (well, not for very long, anyway). We teach in adjoining rooms, and love that,too.
I can't think of any other endeavor where I could have affected, directly and on a personal level, the 6000 or so young people it has been my pleasure to have taught. It is for this reason that both of us have developed a love for doing what we do. Today's youth can be very adorable, in their own way, despite their sometimes apathetic, or even nihilistic, reputation. I think it is because they are so very dependent (not that I approve of that stance; but since so many of them seem starved for family figures, it makes it imperative that I stand as a grown-up who doesn't mind listening to their concerns). Knowing these kids is rewarding and keeps us young. We understand them and they understand us. Having them stop by years later to tell of their exploits in the real world is priceless.
We are fortunate to be in a community which highly values education. We have found, too, that the administration is where the quality of life in education is either made or broken. We are fortunate to have had immediate supervisors who saw enough competence in us to let us "do our thing" (which is classical education, with old fashioned values).
I feel sorry for people who work in districts, and under administrators, where the hassles and heartaches are bigger than the rewards.
Money-wise, it's like anything else the middle class has to offer: you've got to save up enough, as you go, to begin to make some investments and continue them throughout your career. Then, when it is over, you'll have plenty.
If you make your kids look good (by teaching them well), if you make your administrators look good (by helping run a tight ship, by consistently seeing your students high on the achievment charts), they'll usually reciprocate by making you look good. And, above all, the parents are satisfied that they got the biggest bang for their buck.
If much of the above were not true, I'd have left a long time ago. Teaching is an art. And all are not artists.
People should feel free to leave, and many do. I don't begrudge them that. You've got to like what you do. What I can't endure is people whining over conditions or pay.
Now, the public will certainly sit up and take notice if significant numbers of GOOD teachers are leaving.

[kdot]

As the mother of a 4th grader, I can say that I'm generally pleased with the effort the teachers put into the classes. As for the political indroctination, well, that's another story. But I have a couple questions about your comments.

• You noted that the teacher's pay was misleading because so many things are taken off the top. How is that different from the private sector? I know when I get paid, the company deducts healthcare, disability AND the black hole - social security.
• As for the 180 working days, you said to add an additional day per week. Again, that's no different than in my job where the 40-hour-per-week workers are not the best performers and the first to be released in hard times. I'm reminded that as a salaried employee, my hours should start at 40 per week.
• Being an educator, I think continuing education is a good idea. However, are you saying there is no employee reimbursement? If so, that part isn't right.

In my school district, I can say there are LOTS of positions that are full time but questionable for an elementary school. For example, our school is K-5 and has about 300 students. In addition to the classroom teachers, art, PE, learning disabled, and librarian, there are: resource teacher, guidance counselor, speech, PRIME, ESL, PEDD (4) (not PE, don't know what it is), instructional assistant (3), DARE officer, social worker, psychologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, gifted teacher. There are 56 full time positions, but only 15 class rooms. There always seems to be enough money to spend on another "assistant" but the class size seems to be the biggest impediment to classroom management. Extra money comes in dribs and drabs, but do we really need a phychologist, PT, OT, gifted, etc, or would an additional teacher per grade be better use of the consolidated funds. I've asked and gotten gobblety-gook answers about children's needs and professional assessments.

Just askin'. I completely respect the teachers in our school.

[John Lenin]

I can imagine the stress in trying to teach a bunch of immigrants who cannot speak english.

[trebb]

Not to be flippant, but if I was given an opportunity to maybe put pressure on folks to raise my wages/benefits, and all I had to do was anonymously answer a pol and say i was seriously thinking about quitting because my pay was low, I would answer that way. In other words, while they may be underpaid, and I think teachers are, the poll is more useful as a political tool than as a real indicator.

[eleni121]

An interesting and relevant report on Texas teachers.

http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2002-09-25-teacherpayfacts.pdf

[BoozeHag]

Reminds me of a recent email I received. The new Survivor season will feature three business executives who are dropped off in a elementary classroom, the survivor gets to go back to his/her real job...

[PrincessB]

To your question of reimbursement, it varies from school district to school district. Most do not pay for the master's degree. I work for a state university.

I know of one private school locally that pays everything no matter where you go.

Most that have the benefit reimburse the equivalent of the per credit hour rate for tuition (not supplemental fees) at the state universites.

The trend now is to pressure teachers into getting a second master's. (That the school district most likely will not pay for)
What bothers me about this, is that the time needed to compete in a quality graduate program takes away from any planning time, and in some cases true practical learning that teachers really need.

[Tall_Texan]

According to the report, the average Texas teacher is a 43-year-old female with a bachelor's degree who earns $41,396 and is married with a working spouse. Forty-eight percent are the family breadwinner.

And yet they moonlight to make ends meet? I don't believe it. The "working spouse" must be one of those 40-somethings you see working at McDonald's or at the mini-mart. I'm older than the "typical" teacher, have nobody for a second income and earn $10,000 a year less and I'm doing okay. If you want to argue that teachers are undercompensated, that's another issue (although its hard to find jobs that give you three months off every summer). But to say they have to find more work because they can't make it on $41,000 a year just doesn't compute for me. Maybe it's all the union dues they have to pay for silly studies like this one.

[PatriotBill]

For their pay, I will gladly help one of them out of a job...as soon as certification is no longer a requirement.

[r9etb]

My wife quit teaching in Texas because of the paperwork. Ross Perot's legacy lives on....