Wisconsin DPI calls for more investment amid teacher retention concerns

A recent report from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has brought attention to the challenges in retaining and compensating teachers in the state. The findings underscore a pressing need for targeted investments in the 2025-27 biennial budget.

The "2023 Educator Preparation Program and Workforce Analysis Report" highlights concerning trends. Among first-time teachers, only 55.6% remained in Wisconsin or continued teaching after seven years, with just 26.1% staying at the same school. The situation is more dire for special education teachers, where only 46% stayed in the state and 18.6% remained at their initial school.

"This report is a stark reminder of the critical need to invest in strategies that recruit and retain Wisconsin teachers," said State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly. She emphasized that "investing in our teachers is an investment in our students, in our local communities, and in the future of our state."

The report also notes a decline in teacher compensation, adjusted to 2023 dollars, showing a drop of over $22,000 since 2010. Dr. Underly said, "Teachers are shouldering more responsibility than ever, yet they are significantly underpaid." She called for revenue limit adjustments and increased special education reimbursement rates to help improve teacher pay.

Additionally, there is a significant gap in workforce diversity. Only 6% of teachers are educators of color despite research indicating benefits for students of color having racially similar teachers. Dr. Underly stressed the importance of making teaching attractive to diverse candidates: "Every Wisconsin student deserves a diverse, experienced, and well-supported teaching staff."

Dr. Underly has proposed new investments aimed at strengthening Wisconsin’s educator workforce as part of the governor's proposed budget. These include expanding mentoring programs and supporting initiatives like "grow your own" educator programs and the Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

In November, DPI received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support special education teachers through its Special Educator Induction Program.

Further details on DPI’s initiatives can be found on their website.

Information from this article can be found here.