WASHINGTON — One D.C. Councilmember plans to introduce legislation to improve teacher retention rates in District schools.
On Wednesday, At-Large DC Councilmember Robert White is expected to introduce a bill that would provide two paid mental health days, not classified as sick leave, to all full-time educators in District of Columbia Public Schools [DCPS] and require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education [OSSE] to establish a flexible scheduling pilot program.
In early March, OSSE revealed only 70% of teachers in D.C. were retained to work in the same role, in the same school building, this school year compared to last. The data showed the retention percentage was 74% from 2020-21 to 2021-22. It was 81% the year prior to that.
“You can’t just have a stable school system when you have turnover like that,” White said.
White’s legislation would also require DCPS to provide a wellness coordinator in certain schools identified to have a high number of at-risk students and a high teacher turnover rate.
It also calls for the creation of a Fair Paraprofessional Compensation Task Force and for DCPS to conduct exit surveys for teachers where it provides the results to the public annually.
“We’re just trying to legislate what teachers are saying they need to stay in our system,” White said. “We want kids to graduate, we need teachers to stay in these schools.”
The issue of teacher retention has been long discussed in the District. The DC Council listened to testimony from teachers and education experts repeatedly during a performance oversight hearing on education on March 1.
The non-profit education organization Empower Ed read testimony from an anonymous charter school teacher in D.C. who said they were burnt out.
“Because my job is too many hours and I don’t think I can really have a family and also continue doing the job I’m doing,” Ivett Arellano, of Empower ED, read.
Washington Teacher’s Union President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons said she was happy the legislation would be introduced to the council as retention is a major problem the union thinks about daily.
She added she is excited about the possibility of teachers having wellness days in the District. She also said there needs to be more transparency around staff exit surveys.
“We’re also looking forward to teachers have more flexibility in their schedule,” Pogue Lyons said. “We’re hopeful that will be a way of getting and keeping teachers.”
WUSA9 contacted DCPS for comment regarding the state of the school system’s retention efforts. DCPS provided the following statement:
"At DC Public Schools, we believe that talent is a key lever for educational equity, and we’re focused on the recruitment, selection, development, and retention of the most talented teachers and school leaders in the country. As a district, we work diligently to ensure our school staff have the tools, development, and resources to be successful and have robust strategies in place to retain valuable members of our educator workforce. Thanks to Mayor Bowser’s commitment to education evidenced through consistent investment, we’re excited to have agreements with our school principals’ and teachers’ unions that reflect higher salaries and a fair contract. We are taking action to retain our incredible talent and attract more of the best to the system."
DCPS recently negotiated a new contract with the Washington Teacher’s Union. According to the system, union members will receive a retention bonus of 4% while educators in spots that have proven harder to fill will receive a $1,500 retention bonus.
The contract also provides members performing key duties two $1,500 stipends. All union members will receive a stipend to purchase classroom supplies.
“We have one of the worst rates of retention in the country,” Pogue Lyons said. “That’s why we’re excited about the contract we just received.”
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