Here’s why K–12 teachers are quitting — from mckinsey.com

Excerpt:

School’s out for summer, but will educators return to the classroom in the fall? Nearly a third of US K–12 educators—or roughly 900,000 teachers—said in a recent McKinsey survey they are thinking of leaving their jobs before the next school year. “The longer [talent shortages] go unaddressed, the more potential damage they could cause to students and the future of the nation,” write partner Jake Bryant and coauthors. “By tailoring solutions that address the root causes of attrition, leaders could potentially build more fulfilling and equitable environments that better serve not only educators but also students and society at large.” Check out these insights for more on the factors that motivate educators to stay or leave, and dive into other vital issues impacting American public education.

Teachers Leaving the Classroom: An EdSurge Summer Reading List — from edsurge.com by Rebecca Koenig

Excerpt:

In fact, our top pieces all address the reality that plenty of educators are thinking of leaving the classroom behind. A National Education Association survey from 2022 found that more than half of educators were thinking of departing the profession earlier than planned.

As EdSurge senior reporter Emily Tate Sullivan wrote earlier this year, “Most educators have not left, and many never will. But some are following through; they’re walking out of their classrooms and away from the careers they thought they’d have for life.”

What Should You Learn for an Instructional Design Career? — from theelearningcoach.com by Connie Malamed

Excerpt:

Instructional design is a multidisciplinary field. This explains why it is often overwhelming when you want to transition into the career. There are so many shiny objects to attract your attention along the way. Do you love visual design? We’ve got it. Are you fascinated by the latest technologies? We’ve got that too. Perhaps you’re interested in data and analytics? We’ve got a place for you.

No wonder one of the most common questions I’m asked during coaching calls is, “Where do I start?” If you need help, here is the path I recommend regarding what to learn for a career in instructional design. To reduce stress and confusion, learn and build skills in one area at a time.

How to Transition From Teacher to Instructional Designer [2023 Guide] — from devlinpeck.com by Devlin Peck

Opinion: We must remove barriers that keep teachers away from our profession and encourage a diverse workforce — from hechingerreport.org by Sharif El-Mekki
Keeping teachers of color in classrooms requires a hard look at the state and district policies that work against them

Schools can’t afford to lose teachers of color. And with public schools struggling to fill teacher vacancies with qualified educators, district and school leaders can’t afford to lose any more teachers,period.

Teachers and Families Are More Divided Than Ever — and Students Are Losing Out — from edsurge.com by Alicia Simba

What I’ve found is that inviting families in as collaborators has not only strengthened my students’ performance in school, but it has strengthened the bonds I have with their families, which is important, especially when those relationships are put under pressure in times of conflict. And conflict does inevitably come.

The problems facing schools are complex ones without easy answers, so we will disagree. But parents and families need to work with each other, not against each other, in order to jointly create the best schools for all of our kids.

Survey: Nearly half of parents looking to switch their kids’ schools — from reimaginedonline.org

Excerpt:

Nearly half of all parents are seeking new schools for their children in the 2023-24 school year. The data comes from a new survey by National School Choice Week, which found that 45.9 percent of parents want to enroll their child in a different learning environment this fall.

Of those parents, about 17 percent are still considering their options; 13 percent enrolled their student in a new school; 8.4 percent applied, and 7.5 percent chose homeschooling. That leaves 54 percent of parents keeping their child in their current school.