Letter to the Editor: Longtime Teacher Calls Out Alarming Staff Exodus After Failed Levy

Longtime Teacher Calls Out Alarming Staff Exodus After Failed Levy

Around the country, teachers are being celebrated today for their time, dedication, effort, and love for the students they teach and have taught. It is a day I don’t take for granted because every bit of love and appreciation goes a long way and nourishes the soul. We could all benefit from the nourishment of genuine appreciation, but I think our local teachers need it now more than ever.

Not long ago, I posted a personal update on my social media that was centered on my choice to be a teacher. I was overwhelmed by the number of people offering their support and solidarity. I must admit that at that time, I was incredibly optimistic about the status of the staff at our Excelsior Springs schools who would remain loyal to our community and the kids who reside here. However, I added the caveat that the court of public opinion and their negative remarks may have a negative impact on those staffing situations. It pains me to admit that since the levy was struck down, and in the aftermath of the negativity of some public commentary against teachers, many of our teachers have made the decision to leave our district. The increased number of names on the “resignation list” from each Board meeting are astounding to me and a punch to my gut.

Our teachers are now leaving in droves to the districts that were mentioned prior to the levy vote as being the places that frequently poach our teachers. Liberty, North Kansas City, and Park Hill are districts that have more capital and funds coming in so they can pay their teachers higher salaries. However, they also voted to pass a levy to increase teacher wages as well. This now puts Excelsior behind even more than they already were. Not only do we not have the same amount of large businesses that pay into the system, but we also do not have the increased percentage from the levy. I stand on what I previously said: If your family’s survival is at risk, then you owe it to yourself and your family to not support the levy. Your well-being and that of our beloved local children come first. Always. However, I have been shocked at the number of staff members leaving as of late and cannot help but think there is a connection. Here is a rundown of the number of resignations (this includes extra duty roles such as coaches as well as staff members) since January of this year (this is all public record and listed in our School Board Meeting Minutes that are on our district website):

• January – 4 resignations
• February – 3 resignations
• March – 7 resignations
• April – 17 resignations

I know I am not good at math, but that is a total of 31 staff members leaving the district or a role they once held in the district. You may think that we are done and that these numbers are small and that there will not be anymore. Typically, teachers sign contracts and go through the interviewing and hiring process in February and March. The April approval of resignations reflects that timeline. However, I am going to call it now that our district is not done losing people. Our teachers have until June 1st to get out of their contract here and there is a teacher shortage. Districts everywhere are looking for teachers and those districts pay more for less work. For example, one of the names on the above list of resignations is leaving to make $20,000 more per year without having to coach or host a club sport. In addition, I know that one of the names not on any of the above resignation lists, but will be on the May list, is leaving us to make $15,000 more per year without the extra duty stipends and requirements that they currently hold here. I bet those districts use Career Ladder too, so there is an added bonus for those districts too.

Once again, our district is left to rely on teachers and staff who have bought into the district and feel like it is home or those who have high school diplomas with the name “Excelsior Springs High School” on it. Our students, the youth of Excelsior Springs, deserve to be treated with compassion and respect and to know that they have the best and most qualified adults in their corner to support them, build them up, and prepare them  for a future filled with options and opportunities. If we continue to lose teachers at this rate, the learning environment for our local students will not be ideal. If we don’t or cannot rehire the positions we are losing, class sizes will increase, behavioral issues will rise, and the quality of learning will, inevitably, decrease. This is likely to lead to more teacher dissatisfaction and, therefore, more turnover. The cycle, once in place, is difficult to end.

As I previously mentioned, there is a teacher shortage. What is going to happen is that schools are going to be desperate for help, so the qualifications to become a teacher are going to be decreased. Let’s be honest, they already are! When I went to college (2001-2006), I was told to get a Bachelor’s degree and not to go straight to get my Master’s because I would be less likely to be hired, because I would “cost more.” During that time, the market for teachers was oversaturated, and we (pre-service teacher students) were trained to prepare for a competitive market and urged to get degrees in Math, Science, and Special Education because those areas were most in demand. That isn’t the case anymore. We have positions available at the high school that we cannot get enough, or any, candidates to apply. If they do, we can’t call them quickly enough to offer them a job because we have consistently been told they have found a job in another district, probably one with higher wages and less of a commute. The cycle continues. Because there is a higher demand for teachers, there has been a decrease in certification requirements, which vary by state, but include: college students who are seeking an education degree are fast-tracked to becoming teachers without student teaching or practicum hours, substitute teachers being made certified teachers (the requirements to be a substitute teacher has decreased from needing 60 hours of college coursework to 36 hours of college coursework), and anyone holding a bachelor’s degree (in any content area without taking teaching specific courses) can be a teacher. Another change that has been made is allowing retired teachers to re-enter the classroom without their pension being put at risk. The decrease in expectations and preparedness will have a negative impact on our students, which will have long-term impacts on our community.

Do I have answers for this? I don’t. I am just here witnessing it, firsthand, and saddened at the number of colleagues who have turned into friends throughout the years and whose children I have been able to watch grow, give hugs to, and celebrate their successes with, make the decision to leave. These same individuals, and their families, are pulling up roots and replanting elsewhere because they feel disconnected, undervalued, and deprived of opportunity. How much longer can we lean on ESHS alumni? How much longer will these teachers continue to watch their friends and peers leave to higher-paying districts with a minimal commute? What is their loyalty worth? The future of our community is at risk, and we have the responsibility to come together, collectively, to make a difference.

— Katrina Yoakum