The results of a study by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) finds new teachers are fleeing the public schools in alarming numbers.
According to the report, Patching the Pipeline: Addressing Teacher Satisfaction and Retention in Duval County:
- Duval County is losing on average about one of every two new teachers within the first five years of their employment.
- Only about 34% of new teachers hired since 2003 were still in the same school they started at five years later.
JPEF worked with Duval Teachers United to ask teachers about their backgrounds, their career intentions and their job satisfaction.
Of the 600 teachers who responded to the survey, most reported being "generally satisfied with the environment and administration of their own schools."
They reported being least satisfied with "the amount of input they have on decisions made at the state and district levels affecting their classroom and their overall compensation and benefits."
Among the report's recommendations:
- Raise or supplement teacher pay at the local level.
- Cut down on paperwork and other non-instructional duties.
- Create advancement opportunities for teachers who want to stay in the classroom.
