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WASHINGTON, DC (March 15, 2023) – Today Councilmember Robert White introduced the Educator Retention for Student Success Act of 2023 to keep good teachers in DC Public School (DCPS) classrooms. Last week, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released data showing that 30% of teachers left their schools last year. This is up from 26% the year before and 19% the year before that. White’s teacher retention bill would put into law what teachers have said they need to avoid burning out and leaving the profession they love--from paid mental health days to flexible scheduling.
“When great educators stay in our schools, our kids do better. When good teachers leave, our schools are unstable,” White said. A DC State Board of Education report found that the majority of educators departing DCPS were teachers rated as effective and highly effective. White said, “High educator turnover has serious effects on how well kids do in school and their social and emotional development. Not to mention, educator turnover comes at a high cost to taxpayers. It costs about $20,000 to replace each teacher. That equals millions of dollars that could be better spent on students and schools.”
Eight Councilmembers have signed on in support of this bill, with Councilmember Allen as lead co-introducer and Councilmembers McDuffie, Nadeau, T. White, Pinto, Lewis George, Parker, and Frumin also co-introducing this bill.
Read full text of the bill here.
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