Advocacy helps people speak up and get involved when decisions are being made about their life

recruitment options and pathways in teaching

https://www.commonsense.org/education

"More knowledge on options for accommodations would have been good. The thought that their was a stigma around your child having a 504 or IEP prevented me from getting my child options she could have benefited from."

"I would like there to be more advocation for actual time in the classroom, less play time and way less virtual time. I feel this up coming generation we just keep making dumber and dumber and more entitled."

"Politics needs to be removed from the education system. We need to get back to the basics and just focus on learning and quit pushing inclusion down everyone's throats."

"I would like for there to be more focus on mental health. I feel parents miss some signs or all signs that may be seen in the classrooms so teachers should be better equipped to help these students when these things are noticed."

"Teaching independent learning and that being wrong is okay. Hard is okay, because that is how you learn." (Middle School Social Studies)

"School safety. I feel students can't focus on learning if they do not feel safe in the building. Issues like school violence and bullying. From school shootings to fights between students, hitting/throwing objects at teachers. There is also emotional safety as part of this. I feel we should have metal detectors in all schools and no backpacks." (HS Elective)

"I feel we should have more teachers with smaller teacher to student ratio. For example I have 115 students. There is no way I can effectively grade and provide feedback in a timely manner to positively impact their writing development. Especially with less than an hour planning period where I am expected to make copies, lesson plans, meetings, etc." (HS English)

"We need more parent involvement and support in their child's education. Parents do not put their child's education as a priority and do not see the value in it long term." (5th grade teacher)

"More emphasis needs to be placed on teacher retention. This needs to be done by more money, incentives and more support." (K-12 Digital Learning Coach)

"There needs to be an increase in curriculum rigor to ensure students are challenged to think at a higher level and use critical thinking. This impacts preparedness for college education and the students are better prepared to transition into the workforce." (Nurse Administrator/Professor of Nursing)

"Teachers should be paid more. There needs to be an incentive for students/people to enter the teaching profession, especially in Math and Science. Between Murray State, Western, and Louisville there was only one high school science graduate. If this issue is not resolved these classes will be forced to be taught virtually." (HS Principal)

"Teachers should be paid more and their lunches/breakfast should be free as part of their incentives. Our state is below most we need to increase our salary range to help recruit and retain teachers. Staff cannot even miss a day without concern as we do not have enough subs to fill their spots." (HS Assistant Principal)

"The Kentucky Office of Education Accountability (OEA) found that teacher and school personnel shortage is worsening. The main causes for losing teachers and not gaining them is inadequate funding, poor pay, burnout, lack of respect for the profession and unfavorable working conditions. Teacher turnover rose in 2023 to 10.9% which was a 2% increase from the previous 9 year average. Over 1/3 teachers that were surveyed say they are likely to leave public education. Due to high shortages schools are having to use programs such as emergency certification and alternate certification to help manage the teacher shortages. Teacher pay is behind on keeping up with cost of living and inflation. Many teachers must take on second jobs. The most vulnerable communities for teacher retention/teacher shortage are the more rural, poorer, and underfunded."

Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. (2023, November 3). State report describes growing educator shortage, and lack of funding plays a key role. https://kypolicy.org/state-report-on-kentucky-teacher-shortage/

Teacher Retention, Mobility, and Attrition in Kentucky Public Schools

"Lochmiller, Sugimoto, and Muller at the Indiana University found that classroom teachers in Kentucky move to other school systems at a 6% rate and 8.4% leave the school system completely. This was found to lead to lower student achievement. Younger teachers under 31 and older than 50 left at higher rates. Schools that were found to be the highest affected were urban schools and schools that had more students eligible for school lunch programs."

Lochmiller, C. R., Sugimoto, T. J., & Muller, P. A. (2016). Teacher retention, mobility, and attrition in Kentucky public schools from 2008 to 2012 (REL 2016–116). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED562734.pdf