Teacher Recommendations Serve as Effective Solutions

  • Due to several key factors, including a lack of administrative support, excessive workloads, inadequate compensation and challenging student behaviors, 78 percent of teachers have considered quitting since the pandemic. 
  • Through its “Let Teachers Teach” initiative spearheaded by Superintendent Cade Brumly, Louisiana directly asked its teachers what they needed and empowered them to develop actionable recommendations for the state.
  • Louisiana has moved up 17 spots in the rankings of the composite National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP),  its teacher exit rate has decreased, and the number of candidates who have completed a Louisiana teacher preparation program has increased. 

Schools Need to Respect Our Teachers

  • As a product of the “Let Teachers Teach” initiative, teachers provided the state 18 recommendations, all reinforcing the need for the state to treat teachers with respect at each stage in a teacher’s career.
  • The recommendations focus on practical ways to improve professional learning, required trainings, student behavior and discipline, non-academic responsibilities, curriculum and instruction, and planning.
  • By identifying issues such as uncompensated trainings, useless meetings, and deteriorating student behavior, schools can address causes of teacher burnout.

The Classroom Should be for Learning 

  • Louisiana’s initiative exposed significant disruptions to academic learning environments, including unfettered cellphone use and chronic absenteeism. 
  • In response to the increased amount of legislation around the country requiring teachers to perform what are effectively mental health duties, “Let Teachers Teach” recommendations remove the burden of performing therapy from teachers’ plates. 
  • Instead of subjecting teachers to overregulation, teachers should be free to help students learn. 

Click HERE to read the policy focus and learn more about the “Let Teachers Teach” initiative.