Louisiana Tries to Get Retirees Back in Class Teaching

The teacher shortage in Louisiana is a problem in most school districts. This is a nationwide problem as many teachers have left the profession for a variety of reasons.

Earlier this year, the National Education Association released a survey showing more than 50% of teachers in the nation were considering retiring earlier than expected. That is twice the number from the 2020 survey.

Why Are Teachers Leaving the Classroom?

Some states have put restrictions in place on many of the things teachers can do in the classroom. Many educators say this micromanagement has gone too far and they want out.

Some teachers say they feel more like standardized test prep services and data collectors rather than teachers. As teachers continue to deal with struggles in the classroom, they see employers in other fields begging for workers with even higher salaries than we pay our teachers.

Another critical problem is the pipeline which traditionally keeps teachers coming to the classroom. Fewer and fewer young people are opting for college degrees in education and that is leaving schools short of the mark in bringing in new, young educators.

What Is Louisiana Doing to Ease the Shortage?

In Louisiana, state lawmakers approved a plan to try to lure retirees back to the classroom.

These teachers can keep their retirement, and draw full pay. Louisiana Association of School Superintendents president Mike Faulk urges retirees to think about going back to class. Faulk says so far, this program has not attracted too many teachers back to our schools.

Louisiana has about 2500 empty certified teacher positions in public schools statewide.