White countered data that indicates increase in number of teachers retiring

White: Overall teacher attrition has not changed

“Any concern that teacher quality has been diminished in our state by the reforms is erroneous.” john White,  state superintendent of schools

Teachers are not leaving the classroom in any greater numbers than before Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education system revamp, state Superintendent of Education John White said Monday.

And, White said, “the teachers who are leaving are more likely to be ineffective.”

White released statistics in response to Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana data that showed a 25 percent increase in retirements since Jindal-pushed through changes in how teachers are evaluated.

White said the numbers released by Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana, called TRSL, look at only a slice of the picture: those who have the years in to retire. He said more retirements are based on financial considerations than changes in the classroom.

“Louisiana is actually in a good position in the number of teachers in the workforce,” White said during a telephone conference call with reporters.

White said the overall teacher work force attrition rate has remained at or close to 12 percent for the last three years.

“The overall rate of teacher attrition has not changed ,” he said.

TRSL public information officer Lisa Honore issued a statement late Monday that stated, in part, that the data it issued earlier in the month does not contradict the Department of Education, or DOE, report.

“The attrition data from DOE include all types of departures — retirement and non-retirement related,” according to TRSL. The TRSL data does show an increase in retirements over the last three fiscal years, the statement read. The pension system includes teachers, administrator and some other school employees.

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said White attempted to deflect what’s going on in the classroom.

“A stable attrition rate only means that enough teachers are entering our classrooms to replace those who leave,” Monaghan said. “Attrition does not address the absolute fact that we are losing experienced veteran teachers at a much faster rate than before. More importantly, it completely ignores that teacher morale in Louisiana and nationally is at an all-time low.”

According to Department of Education statistics, new teacher certification rates have increased slightly, from 3,005 new licenses issued in 2008-09 to 3,136 in 2010-11. The number is not available for the more recent 2011-12 fiscal year, the department said.

Among teachers measured through the “value-added” statistical process over the past three years, those who remained in the workforce the following school year were more likely to be “highly effective” than those who left, 19 percent to 16 percent, respectively, White said.

In addition, those teacher leaving the workforce were more likely to be “ineffective” than were those who stayed, 12 percent to 8 percent, respectively, he said.

“Any concern that teacher quality has been diminished in our state by the reforms is erroneous,” White said.

White said shortages do remain in certain areas such as math and sciences, some schools and some school districts such as those in high poverty and rural areas.

The DOE report concluded that over the past three years, teachers leaving the classroom to move into administrative positions were more likely to be among the state’s “highly effective” teachers than those leaving education, 27 percent to 16 percent.

White countered the TRSL data and comments made by school superintendents who have been seeing increases in retirements.

The TRSL report showed the number of retirements from public kindergarten through 12th-grade schools have hovered around 2,500 in recent years: 2,598 for the 2011 fiscal year; 2,512 during the previous fiscal year. But for the 2012 fiscal year, the number jumped by 697 to 3,295, an increase of 26.8 percent and the number are continuing at the same pace.

Parish school superintendents said teachers are telling them they cannot deal with the pressure and instability and all the changes going on with the new law changes.

“A lot of them are experienced teachers who have been with their systems for a while who are retiring because of the uncertainty of the (teacher) evaluation system,” Michael Faulk, president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, said in early January.

Comments

1) Comment by civitasiveritas - 04/02/2013

John White is a pathological liar. There is no way around it. By hiding the data from the media, and others who might counter his lies, he is complicit in the national movement to totally destroy public education for the benefit of a few wealthy and powerful groups. His claim does not in any way contradict the clear evidence of the increase in retirements of experienced teachers. Jindal and his henchman have been pushing the idea of de- professionalization of teachers for some time now. It has been pointed out to the media and others that they actually had clear indications on their PowerPoint Presentations that a "career" in education equaled 10 years. Connect that to Michelle Rhee's push (aided by the billions from those making billions from privatization) to move all teacher's away from defined benefit plans and remove any sense of job security. So we will see further departures from education from those who understand the new accountability system, which, as John White knows, is the equivalent of a turkey shoot, with no real consistency in scores. John White's claims about the relative percentages of those retiring compared with high scores versus lower scores is pure hogwash, and he knows it. Unlike other states, he has never released the data which would show his lies for what they are. Why does the media continue to publish his lies, and fail to hold John White accountable for his lies! He is caught, time and time again in lies, and slips away. Is money greasing the media skids? White lies.

2) Comment by teacherguy - 29/01/2013

The question here is easy for a social studies teacher to ask: "why does White feel the need to spew press releases to refute what is happening in the trenches of education?" Because the ship is sinking, experienced teachers who have the opportunity for life boats are shoving off, and he is trying to play elevator music to calm the panicked emails and phone calls flooding his office of legislators motivated by the general public. They will spin the accountability scores to look impressive in the wake of the reforms...but the exodus of experienced teachers and slowed-flow of college students going into education will take its toll in the coming couple of years.

3) Comment by bayouboy77 - 29/01/2013

The arrogance of John White and the Jindal administration is pretty remarkable. I am one of those "ineffective" teachers to which he referred in the article. 'And, White said, “the teachers who are leaving are more likely to be ineffective.” ' I taught 9th grade junior high in South Louisiana for 13 years, was certified, tenured, and highly qualified. I say was, because despite many years of hard work, passion, and volunteering at school, I resigned from my teaching career last April. My wife (who also taught, 13 years, past tense) and I simply had enough of being villified and attacked by the inexperienced and unqualified Mr. White and his bully boss, while dealing with the REAL problems of horrible student discipline and parent apathy. Don't think for one minute that teachers aren't leaving the profession or retiring in greater numbers. Just wait. If you think things are bad now, give it until 2015. They will be begging for experience to come back to the classroom, but it will be too late. I feel bad for the good kids, they deserve better. But the public bought this lie, hook, line, and sinker, and now they will get what they wanted, "school choice" and uncertified "teach for america" wannabes. I now have a great job and career in the private sector, where they reward people who work hard and desire knowledge. You're not going to get that in the Jindal's new public schools. That's just another lie. They keep changing the numbers to fit their agenda. Good luck finding good help.

4) Comment by smuchmore - 29/01/2013

Arggggggg,,,,I can't stand it anymore. The lies, the spin, the disrespect and vitriol against hard working excellent teachers that spews from John White's mouth keeps coming faster and faster. This National Board Certified teacher with 25 years of experience is throwing in the towel...retirement. I leave with my pride and dignity in tack knowing that I have touched the lives and inspired thousands of young people throughout my career. You have just lost another one of the good ones, Mr. White.

5) Comment by Ddbeeman - 29/01/2013

Post Script. I also have a few choice words for the new 'transitional leadership' in EBR and the misguided school board that brought them here. Another time....

6) Comment by Ddbeeman - 29/01/2013

Mr. White, Sonny-Boy, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You can continue to lie to the public. And the media will continue to give you a forum for your fantasies. But here is the down-and-dirty-truth from this recently retired teacher's point of view. YOUR policies and reforms are driving good, experienced and dedicated teachers from the classroom. You are replacing them with young, hopeful, inexperienced teachers. They may be good teachers in the making, probably are. But I have a few questions for you. Would you let an intern perform heart surgery on you or your children? Do you take your car to a recently trained mechanic? What would you pay for a haircut from a barber trainee? I think (hope) you get my point. Your claim that I, we, the teachers that are leaving, are most likely ineffective is such a staggering insult. You have reduced yourself to the position of a despicable, ambitious politician. For myself, I have had ONE job for my entire 33 year teaching career - educating the children of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. I'm leaving with a heavy heart, but NOT because I am ineffective. How many jobs have you had? How long will you be in that empty office at the LDOE? I know I will die here, in Louisiana - the state I love. I am sick about what you are doing to our educational system as a stepping stone to your ambitious career.

7) Comment by Iamhopeful2 - 29/01/2013

White will continue to lie especially when the public has no access to the information that would reveal the truth. The Advocate, in the Interest of good journalism, should have asked for and if they didn't receive it should have stated that White has NO DATA to support his claim. Of course he would have said the data system was down or being revamped in expectation of the huge load he expects it to carry when all teachers are evaluated based on student test scores. As for Superintendent Faulk, while he chooses to speak out with moderation on occasion he has contributed to White's rampage by refusing to hear public testimony y at his own SAC committee meeting. Make no mistake, that refusal, by his own admission, was to avert testimony that refutes more of White's lies about teacher evaluation and school performance scores. If this paper wanted the truth about attrition thy could simply ask for figures from all school districts. I can tell you from discussion with St. Tammany school officials that our attrition rate ( and it will get worse) is extraordinary. White's comments are so full of contradiction, like any 7th grader, he says we have plenty if teachers entering the workforce and yet he conveniently uses shortage to hire Teach For America instructors. If he believes teachers leaving are ineffective then will he need to change (again) his 10% number of teachers he says will be rated ineffective? TEACHERS and PARENTS time to tell White it's time to follow his two former BESE puppets out the door.

8) Comment by bigfatman - 29/01/2013

Mr. White You never seem to be at a loss for words. After 34 years of being a successful teacher I feel that I have the right to retire without you saying that I am an ineffective teacher. The only reason you have a job is because you are nothing more than a yes man for BESE who is a yes committee for Jindal. Re-check the retirement numbers at the end of 2015, then you can cook the numbers so you can make it look good.

9) Comment by LawyerDan65 - 29/01/2013

THe comments of Mr. Faulk have a high degree of credibility given that he speaks for the local Superintendents who actually have to run school systems and he is the Superintendent of one fo th etop systems in teh State...who has a better understanding of what is going on in local systems, him or the State Supt?

10) Comment by spqr - 29/01/2013

How many lies can John-boy tell the media and public? When will he join the real world? Teachers are retiring and quitting or planning to do so at school year's end in huge numbers. As for their ineffectiveness, words cannot describe the insult he has forwarded this group. I would love for this gutless political puppet to tell these teachers they are not good educators to their face. John-boy has two years experience as a "teacher" at a NYC charter school, hardly a talent himself. White is nothing short of a chronic liar.