WI Sees Teacher Shortage, Career Crisis

Wisconsin’s state superintendent of schools is calling the latest look at the state’s teacher shortage a crisis.

The Department of Public Instruction released a report yesterday that says 40 percent of new teachers don’t last six years in the classroom, and 30 percent of wanna-be teachers never even make it into a classroom. Superintendent Jill Underly said Wisconsin’s teacher shortage is most desperate when it comes to special education teachers. Underly is blaming Act 10, which changed how teachers can negotiate for their salaries and benefits more than a decade ago.

DPI’s report comes at the same time as another look at Wisconsin’ teaching landscape that says Act 10 saved taxpayers billions of dollars, and actually paid high-performing teachers in the state more.