State of education? (lawyers, homes, school district)

[mcharas]

FL has a bad rep when it comes to education. Stories like this do not help...

Is this indicative of low professional standards? Is it plain bad hiring ("few options")- the 'teacher shortage'? Is it due to lower educational standards for teachers compared to some other states? Is it the common core/"sunshine standards" issue?


Looked the teacher up on Linkedin... Educational attainment states teacher has a Bachelors degree from an online for-profit college, in psychology (with varied dates of attendance listed).

I am starting to understand some people's heightened interest as time goes on in homeschooling and private options, and I say that as traditionally a supporter of public ed.


https://www.google.com/amp/wfla.com/...questions/amp/

[Beach Sportsfan]

It all goes into our state trying to go on the cheap to get teachers. Low salaries plus bad teaching conditions have accelerated the process.
Still you can find very good teachers and programs in the state public schools, but you as a parent have to do the research not only on the school but the programs within that school.

[MortonR]

The really crappy part of this who environment is that the school district (Hillsborough) is doing "alternative certification" for teacher positions in high areas of need, such as special ed (ESE). If you have a college degree they have a program to train and get you into the classroom.

What's really sad about this is that it targets the students with the highest needs and requirements for very highly trained educational skills to properly teach.

They went down this road about ten years ago to fill positions they couldn't fill due to the rapid growth of the area, and in my opinion it failed miserably. The attrition rate was outrageous, maybe as much as 90% or more by the fifth year.

Those in education know there are certain threshold years where teachers tend to burn out or bail, but many of these "recruits" never made it past 2-3 years. Sadly, the idea that if one is educated you can teach. There is nothing further from the truth, and this is a perfect example of that.

I didn't read the linked article, but I'm sure it's a story we've heard many times before.

Teachers need to be treated as professionals, like doctors and lawyers, and paid accordingly, as they are in many other developed countries. Until we do this, our educational system is going to be the mess that it is. And of course, parents not expecting the system to raise their children, too....

RM

[mcharas]

Originally Posted by MortonR

Teachers need to be treated as professionals, like doctors and lawyers, and paid accordingly, as they are in many other developed countries. Until we do this, our educational system is going to be the mess that it is. And of course, parents not expecting the system to raise their children, too.

RM

Agreed!