Iowa schools draw fewer candidates for superintendent jobs

[cigaretteman]

When Greg Batenhorst decided to retire as superintendent of Mount Vernon schools this summer, he gave the school board over a year’s notice to find a qualified replacement — reflecting the challenges Iowa districts face in filling their top education job.



About one-third of the state’s school districts will see a change in leadership between the 2023-24 school year and this fall. There are about 50 K-12 superintendents leaving their districts, according to the Iowa Association for School Boards. Many are retiring. Others are leaving after serving as an interim leader. Still others are leaving for another opportunity.


But fewer qualified candidates are seeking the jobs, and those who get it now tend to stay only for a few years, school leadership search firms say.




The challenges make it difficult for a district to find the right person who will lead it through long-term strategic planning, setting goals for student achievement, planning for future facilities and wading through financial quandaries.


Eastern Iowa schools, in particular, have seen a big shift in school leadership over the last three years:

• Tawana Grover was hired as the new leader of the Cedar Rapids Community School District last year after the death of former superintendent Noreen Bush.

• Amy Kortemeyer was hired by the Linn-Mar school board — finishing her first year as superintendent of the school district this spring — to replace Shannon Bisgard, who retired last summer, ending his contract with the district two years early.

• Corey Seymour was hired in spring 2022 as the new superintendent of the Clear Creek Amana Community School District, replacing interim superintendent Joseph Brown Sr.

• And rural school districts like Central City and North Linn — which share a superintendent — and Alburnett also have new school leaders this year.

Batenhorst, who also is ending his contract a year early, has been superintendent in the Mount Vernon Community School District for seven years. But the average tenure for K-12 school leaders is much shorter than that — between four and five years for superintendents across the United States, search firms say.


Cedar Rapids-based Ray & Associates — one of the largest national search firms for school leadership — has a higher-than average stay for superintendents it has placed, at about eight years. Ray & Associates President Molly Schwarzhoff attributes this to the firm’s relationship-building and “personal” approach.


“We find the right fit for the district,” she said.


Yet the number of people applying for these jobs — which open pay at a six-figure salary — is shrinking. Schwarzhoff said the number of applicants the firm receives for jobs is about half what it was five years ago.


An open K-12 superintendent position receives an average of 20 to 30 applicants, but Schwarzhoff said these positions used to see up to 70 applicants per opening before the pandemic began in 2020.


The majority of superintendents in Iowa originally are from in-state, but many are hired from neighboring states, Schwarzhoff said.


Candidates for school leadership positions also are trending younger.






“I’m 76, so back when I was a kid, the guy who stayed around the longest ended up being the superintendent,” said Rick Elliott, president of the Mount Vernon school board. “Nowadays people who have a career goal of being administrators prepare themselves for that. By the time they’re 40, they already have the education and have gone through several administrative roles — activities director, principal, associated superintendent.”


The Mount Vernon board used Ray & Associates to guide the search process to replace Batenhorst. The board hired Matthew Leeman, associate superintendent of the Clear Creek Amana Community School District, as the next leader in Mount Vernon. He begins July 1.


Elliot said Leeman will be tasked with difficult budget decisions, as many schools struggle financially amid declining enrollment and per-pupil state aid that fails to keep up with inflation. Elliot said there will be some “creative budgeting” in the coming years in the district.


“I sincerely hope we don’t have to cut any staff,” Elliot said. “We are very proud of our teachers, our administrative staff, supporting staff — nearly all of them who live in our community. We don’t want to lose jobs because of budgetary problems.”

Iowa schools draw fewer candidates for top job

These leaders guide schools in planning for the future of their district, setting goals for student achievement and creating facility plans

www.thegazette.com

 

[cigaretteman]

Profile of a leader​

In seeking a new superintendent, the Cedar Rapids Community School District initially hired interim superintendent Art Sathoff for about six months during the 2022-23 school year to give time for a more “robust” search, said David Tominsky, vice president of the Cedar Rapids school board.


Grover, who had been superintendent at Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska, in her first year has led the district through a bond referendum, which voters overwhelmingly rejected; shepherded a new strategic plan to approval by the school board; and begun a new facility planning process with large community engagement.


Tominsky said choosing a new school leader was a “big decision.” The district hired an Illinois-based search firm — Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates — to assist with the search process.


Search firms often begin by developing a plan with the school board, interviewing school board members individually and as a group to create a profile for an ideal candidate.


School staff and community members also are interviewed to build a profile for the kind of leader they want for their schools. Often, a survey is available to help gather more input from the community.


School boards then receive a list of top candidates from the search firm and have the chance to interview them.


The cost of these searches can be between $8,000 to $35,000, depending on the size of the district, Schwarzhoff said. Ray & Associates, for example, bases its fees off enrollment and location of the district.


Trent Grundmeyer, founder of Grundmeyer Leader Services, a national school leader search firm based in Iowa, said a newer trend he’s seeing is that school boards are searching for a superintendent who can help to recruit and retain staff amid a teacher shortage.


Tominsky agrees this was important in the Cedar Rapids school district’s search for a new superintendent last year.


Grundmeyer said the firm is hired for about 80 percent of school leader searches in Iowa that use a search firm. About 8 percent of the candidates they place are from out of state, and about 35 percent are women, he said. Most recently, Grundmeyer Leader Services assisted with the Linn-Mar superintendent search.


Over the last few years, Grundmeyer Leader Services has assisted to replace two superintendents who had been in their leadership positions for almost 30 years. These were in the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows school district in Northern Iowa and Bedford Community School District in Southern Iowa.


“You’re not going to see that much anymore,” said Grundmeyer, talking about the longevity of some of the school leaders.


It’s “not good on the system” when a new school leader comes in, changes the district’s culture and moves on, he said.


Grundmeyer said he’s beginning to see some school districts make efforts toward “succession planning” — coaching internal candidates for the job of superintendent in the future. That could be a good strategy for creating continuity in school leadership, he said.


He cautions school boards away from trying to find someone completely different from the last school leader. “That can be a shock to the system,” Grundmeyer said.


Linn-Mar school board President Barry Buchholz said the search for now-Superintendent Kortemeyer was his third superintendent search in his 16 years on the board.


Buchholz reflected fondly on former Linn-Mar Superintendent Katie Mulholland, who retired from the school district in 2014 after more than a decade as the schools’ leader. Having a long-term leader like that “makes life a lot easier,” Buchholz said.

‘Late to the show’ in searching for a new school leader​

The Central DeWitt Community School District in Eastern Iowa is searching for a new superintendent. Current Superintendent Dan Peterson announced in March his plans to resign after 16 years.


Central DeWitt used Grundmeyer in its searches earlier this year for a curriculum director and high school principal. Hiring search firms to fill other district-level leadership positions — like chief finance officer, chief academic officer and a human resource officer — is becoming more common, leaders of search firms say.


Many superintendents are hired as early as November before their July start date of the next calendar year. Central DeWitt school board President Mike Zimmer said the district is “late to the show.”


The district hired Grundmeyer Leader Services to help with the superintendent search. It had 11 candidates, which Zimmer said is a “reasonable” number, especially for this time in the year.


Zimmer said the district of 1,600 students is a “steppingstone” for superintendents seeking experience. “If they could stay 10 years, we’d be counting our blessings,” he said.


If the school board doesn’t find a winning candidate this round, it will look to hire an interim superintendent and begin the search process again this fall, Zimmer said.

 

[stout1]

One would think with all of the education experts on here, and the general perception that being a superintendent is an easy job with massive pay and benefits that anyone could do, there wouldn't be a shortage of applicants.

 

[Here_4_a_Day]

Superintendent of Schools = most worthless position ever created to bilk taxpayers

 

[SSG T]

One would think with all of the education experts on here, and the general perception that being a superintendent is an easy job with massive pay and benefits that anyone could do, there wouldn't be a shortage of applicants.

My wife's PhD is in Administration. After working as an Ass't Prinicpal for 3 years, I don't think you could pay her enough to go back into administration. Besides doing her job, she saw a bug chunk of a Prinicpal and Superintendent's jobs. She wants no part of it.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Red tape and crappy kids that everybody has to pretend are just misunderstood and have to be educated like the good kids.

A better policy at the very top is what is needed. I have no hope, too many would be triggered and cry they are a victim.

Lots of small districts share superintendents to save on costs.

Also need to fast forward to when more districts consolidate. The numbers are getting crazy low. When there are discussions of having two classes of 8 man football you know it’s time.

 

[Hawki97]

Red tape and crappy kids that everybody has to pretend are just misunderstood and have to be educated like the good kids.

A better policy at the very top is what is needed. I have no hope, too many would be triggered and cry they are a victim.

What do we do with these “crappy kids?” You know after saying “phuck them kids” when they’re in K-12 they’re very likely to become the ones who end up being what you really despise, right? Freeloaders, druggies, committing petty to aggravated crime, etc. and even worse they’ll probably spawn and just like their parents be pieces of shit and perpetuate the problem. What’s the answer? Like, an actual workable answer?

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

One would think with all of the education experts on here, and the general perception that being a superintendent is an easy job with massive pay and benefits that anyone could do, there wouldn't be a shortage of applicants.

Can you name one of those education experts on here that would be able to handle the job?

 

[onlyTheObvious]

What do we do with these “crappy kids?” You know after saying “phuck them kids” when they’re in K-12 they’re very likely to become the ones who end up being what you really despise, right? Freeloaders, druggies, committing petty to aggravated crime, etc. and even worse they’ll probably spawn and just like their parents be pieces of shit and perpetuate the problem. What’s the answer? Like, an actual workable answer?

Remove them from the normal classroom, they did when I was in school.

If the district is large enough they should be able to staff a special ed environment. Smaller districts will have to bus their trouble makers to these larger districts. Wasting hours on a bus is better than wasting hours of normal kids time. Only way they get back into mainstream classroom is by proving they can handle it.

Yes that is expensive and yes more money will need to be spent, but the current model of all these para’s babysitting shit kids in the mainstream classroom isn’t cheap either.

Maybe these removed kids only get bussed three days a week and the other is served out almost like in school suspension where they are isolated.

Yup, these special ed teachers should be paid more and I truly believe people would be willing to spend more if the message of cleaning up the classrooms was communicated effectively. Also think teacher and administrators could then focus on what they wanted to do when they entered the profession.

We can all at least agree I hope that nothing will improve until the disrupters are gone from the mainstream classroom. It only takes a few incidents before people with the financial ability say “I am out, private is the only way”.

 

[Crafty Beaver]

What do we do with these “crappy kids?” You know after saying “phuck them kids” when they’re in K-12 they’re very likely to become the ones who end up being what you really despise, right? Freeloaders, druggies, committing petty to aggravated crime, etc. and even worse they’ll probably spawn and just like their parents be pieces of shit and perpetuate the problem. What’s the answer? Like, an actual workable answer?

Vouchers for private school. Where the kids that are there to learn can actually do so. Public schools can become thunderdome (many already are), and liberals can sit back and revel at what their policies have wrought.

 

[stout1]

Can you name one of those education experts on here that would be able to handle the job?

Apparently I wasn't sarcastic enough...

 

[Hawki97]

Remove them from the normal classroom, they did when I was in school.

If the district is large enough they should be able to staff a special ed environment. Smaller districts will have to bus their trouble makers to these larger districts. Wasting hours on a bus is better than wasting hours of normal kids time. Only way they get back into mainstream classroom is by proving they can handle it.

Yes that is expensive and yes more money will need to be spent, but the current model of all these para’s babysitting shit kids in the mainstream classroom isn’t cheap either.

Maybe these removed kids only get bussed three days a week and the other is served out almost like in school suspension where they are isolated.

Yup, these special ed teachers should be paid more and I truly believe people would be willing to spend more if the message of cleaning up the classrooms was communicated effectively. Also think teacher and administrators could then focus on what they wanted to do when they entered the profession.

We can all at least agree I hope that nothing will improve until the disrupters are gone from the mainstream classroom. It only takes a few incidents before people with the financial ability say “I am out, private is the only way”.

I don't have any problem with ideas like this. IMHO, this is where the time and effort should be put in - coming up with ideas and putting funding towards fixing the broader issues. I wish states like Ioway had the chops to take it on. Implementing programs that - in the grand scheme of things - can only be taken advantage of by a few select is simply kicking the can down the road.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Remove them from the normal classroom, they did when I was in school.

If the district is large enough they should be able to staff a special ed environment. Smaller districts will have to bus their trouble makers to these larger districts. Wasting hours on a bus is better than wasting hours of normal kids time. Only way they get back into mainstream classroom is by proving they can handle it.

Yes that is expensive and yes more money will need to be spent, but the current model of all these para’s babysitting shit kids in the mainstream classroom isn’t cheap either.

Maybe these removed kids only get bussed three days a week and the other is served out almost like in school suspension where they are isolated.

Yup, these special ed teachers should be paid more and I truly believe people would be willing to spend more if the message of cleaning up the classrooms was communicated effectively. Also think teacher and administrators could then focus on what they wanted to do when they entered the profession.

We can all at least agree I hope that nothing will improve until the disrupters are gone from the mainstream classroom. It only takes a few incidents before people with the financial ability say “I am out, private is the only way”.

The "disrupters" don't need to be gone from the mainstream classroom. The mainstream classroom needs to be capped at 15-18 kids. In a high-needs school, it should be 12-15. And that's not an average...that's EVERY classroom. Instead, we use tax dollars to siphon off as many of the capable kids as possible and then stuff 30+ of the students who need the most attention into a room and then blame THEM for what happens.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

The "disrupters" don't need to be gone from the mainstream classroom. The mainstream classroom needs to be capped at 15-18 kids. In a high-needs school, it should be 12-15. And that's not an average...that's EVERY classroom. Instead, we use tax dollars to siphon off as many of the capable kids as possible and then stuff 30+ of the students who need the most attention into a room and then blame THEM for what happens.

Agree to disagree. Some kid that won’t stay in his seat, yells, and challenges the teacher needs to be gone.

 

[Tom Paris]

My wife's PhD is in Administration. After working as an Ass't Prinicpal for 3 years, I don't think you could pay her enough to go back into administration. Besides doing her job, she saw a bug chunk of a Prinicpal and Superintendent's jobs. She wants no part of it.

I was talking to my boss the other day outside when an old neighbor lady came over and asked the boss to move one of the dumpsters so her son could get his trailer out of their back gate. The boss told her 4 times she needed to call the number on the dumpster because that didn't belong to the district. After the lady left I said, "Reason 227 why I would never be an administrator." Other than pay, I don't know why they want to do those jobs.

 

[SSG T]

I was talking to my boss the other day outside when an old neighbor lady came over and asked the boss to move one of the dumpsters so her son could get his trailer out of their back gate. The boss told her 4 times she needed to call the number on the dumpster because that didn't belong to the district. After the lady left I said, "Reason 227 why I would never be an administrator." Other than pay, I don't know why they want to do those jobs.

One of my wife's friends was a superintendent (not in Iowa)...for 4 years. After the 4th year, he went back to principal, then eventually back to being a guidance counselor. He told her "The pay is great, but not worth the stress and lack of sleep". Another friend spent 5 as a principal, went back to the classroom.

They've both said that the last 10-15 years, everything involved in education has just gotten progressively worse (which my wife has agreed with wholeheartedly).

 

[Tom Paris]

What do we do with these “crappy kids?” You know after saying “phuck them kids” when they’re in K-12 they’re very likely to become the ones who end up being what you really despise, right? Freeloaders, druggies, committing petty to aggravated crime, etc. and even worse they’ll probably spawn and just like their parents be pieces of shit and perpetuate the problem. What’s the answer? Like, an actual workable answer?

This is the question we can't get answers for but what I do believe that at some point those kids shouldn't be allowed to jack up the learning environments for all the other students. Actually we are well past that time. Nothing gets done and there are no logical explanations given. They shouldn't be allowed to verbally and physically assault staff or other students. The other thing...often times educators can tell at an early age which kids will end up "dead or in jail", or not productive members of society. I totally could see this teaching middle schoolers. Sadly, now it's getting pretty obvious with some elementary kids.

I literally just saw one who was on the run a few minutes ago, refusing all directions from adults. Day after day after day after day with this kid. If you could understand what his family background is there is almost no chance this child - a first grader now - will ever be a productive member of society. It's sad but this kid and his siblings, because of their sick ass parents were given almost no opportunity to be successful.

 

[Tom Paris]

One of my wife's friends was a superintendent (not in Iowa)...for 4 years. After the 4th year, he went back to principal, then eventually back to being a guidance counselor. He told her "The pay is great, but not worth the stress and lack of sleep". Another friend spent 5 as a principal, went back to the classroom.

They've both said that the last 10-15 years, everything involved in education has just gotten progressively worse (which my wife has agreed with wholeheartedly).

Some comedy is watching teachers' content on Instagram and almost everything they say about the toxic positivity from administration is spot on from my experience - seems similar everywhere across the country. We just shake our heads when they try to sugar coat and make us feel great about new BS curriculum or some new initiative. Hey everyone...you can wear shorts to work because we appreciate you! By the way, we need you to now start doing E, F, and G before the end of the year.

They are aware of the things teachers are fed up with, or find to be a joke, but they can't help themselves and do it anyway.

 

[Crafty Beaver]

This is the question we can't get answers for but what I do believe that at some point those kids shouldn't be allowed to jack up the learning environments for all the other students. Actually we are well past that time. Nothing gets done and there are no logical explanations given. They shouldn't be allowed to verbally and physically assault staff or other students. The other thing...often times educators can tell at an early age which kids will end up "dead or in jail", or not productive members of society. I totally could see this teaching middle schoolers. Sadly, now it's getting pretty obvious with some elementary kids.

I literally just saw one who was on the run a few minutes ago, refusing all directions from adults. Day after day after day after day with this kid. If you could understand what his family background is there is almost no chance this child - a first grader now - will ever be a productive member of society. It's sad but this kid and his siblings, because of their sick ass parents were given almost no opportunity to be successful.

Until we fix the problem of shitty parenting, there is no fix for what’s going on in public schools. Everything we’re talking about is anchored to the premise that parents are committed to and supportive of healthy ideals like respect, discipline, and support of teachers.

 

[joelbc1]

I don't have any problem with ideas like this. IMHO, this is where the time and effort should be put in - coming up with ideas and putting funding towards fixing the broader issues. I wish states like Ioway had the chops to take it on. Implementing programs that - in the grand scheme of things - can only be taken advantage of by a few select is simply kicking the can down the road.

There are laws made and in place that don’t allow this to happen. Understand many of these “Special Ed” kids have dual diagnosis’s too..it ain’t as easy as some think….and it’s much more difficult than others understand.

Again, if any tax monies are going to private schools, these schools need to be required to accommodate all who apply because that’s what public tax money does….accommodates the masses,not just the select.

Folks need to understand that mental health has costs to every community and it takes $$ to fund these programs. This is not a Kim Reynolds “now we have mental health programs for kids” program because the legislature passed a bill…it has to be financed! Robbing Peter to pay Paul (tax $ to private schools) certainly does not solve any problems but creates a whole new issue!

 

[SSG T]

Oh, and just to note...it's not just superintendent jobs that are getting harder to fill. The number of people teaching is dwindling, let alone admin jobs.

 

[Tom Paris]

Oh, and just to note...it's not just superintendent jobs that are getting harder to fill. The number of people teaching is dwindling, let alone admin jobs.

It's incredible to me how many people get a 4 year degree to teach, and after a year or 2 in the classroom say "Eff all that.", and quit. It's a constant now.

 

[Crafty Beaver]

Isn't basically every profession in the country struggling to find qualified applicants, though? I don't think what the teacher / administrator profession is experiencing is unique, really.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Isn't basically every profession in the country struggling to find qualified applicants, though? I don't think what the teacher / administrator profession is experiencing is unique, really.

Exactly. ^^ Which isn't to say that there is "nothing to see here" related to open Superintendent positions. But for sure, education positions aren't the only ones drawing fewer candidates nowadays.

I have been hiring people for very close to 40 years now. In the early days I felt bad that I had to tell so many really good people "no thank you, we hired someone else...".

Now, and for the past 15 years or so...I am happy when a single really good candidate emerges. It is very different now v. 20+ years ago, it does not surprise me to hear that Super positions are also experiencing this.

 

[HawkeyeShawn]

It's incredible to me how many people get a 4 year degree to teach, and after a year or 2 in the classroom say "Eff all that.", and quit. It's a constant now.

Underpaid and under appreciated. Pay teachers better, get better teachers. Some deserve combat pay.

 

[gohawks50]

Remove them from the normal classroom, they did when I was in school.

If the district is large enough they should be able to staff a special ed environment. Smaller districts will have to bus their trouble makers to these larger districts. Wasting hours on a bus is better than wasting hours of normal kids time. Only way they get back into mainstream classroom is by proving they can handle it.

Yes that is expensive and yes more money will need to be spent, but the current model of all these para’s babysitting shit kids in the mainstream classroom isn’t cheap either.

Maybe these removed kids only get bussed three days a week and the other is served out almost like in school suspension where they are isolated.

Yup, these special ed teachers should be paid more and I truly believe people would be willing to spend more if the message of cleaning up the classrooms was communicated effectively. Also think teacher and administrators could then focus on what they wanted to do when they entered the profession.

We can all at least agree I hope that nothing will improve until the disrupters are gone from the mainstream classroom. It only takes a few incidents before people with the financial ability say “I am out, private is the only way”.

The least restrictive environment/mainstreaming is mandated by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The scenario you propose is illegal under current US law. Schools aren't mainstreaming to save money they are simply complying with the law.

 

[Hawki97]

There are laws made and in place that don’t allow this to happen. Understand many of these “Special Ed” kids have dual diagnosis’s too..it ain’t as easy as some think….and it’s much more difficult than others understand.

Again, if any tax monies are going to private schools, these schools need to be required to accommodate all who apply because that’s what public tax money does….accommodates the masses,not just the select.

Folks need to understand that mental health has costs to every community and it takes $$ to fund these programs. This is not a Kim Reynolds “now we have mental health programs for kids” program because the legislature passed a bill…it has to be financed! Robbing Peter to pay Paul (tax $ to private schools) certainly does not solve any problems but creates a whole new issue!

Ultimately there are tons of laws that impact our options. My only point is the people in charge should look at those and challenge the status quo with the goal of helping the masses. “Crappy kids” often turn into crappy adults and we don’t need more of that. Helping a select few under the guise of school choice doesn’t do shit overall and is a cop out chosen by politicians that don’t want to do the work to solve the bigger problem and just kicks the can down the road.

If public schools are so terrible, R’s basically own the State from a legislative and policy perspective - why don’t they push for something to help all Iowan children? “Fixing” public schools does that, not just for a select few that get vouchers. So either you don’t give a shit about all children, it’s too hard and they’re too lazy to put in the work, or it’s politically expedient and beneficial to play the voucher game. It’s probably all three.

Edit to add: and yes I know federal law also comes into play, but get creative you lazy phucks. There has to be a way beyond giving up and going the route we’re seeing.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Until we fix the problem of shitty parenting, there is no fix for what’s going on in public schools. Everything we’re talking about is anchored to the premise that parents are committed to and supportive of healthy ideals like respect, discipline, and support of teachers.

Agreed. ^^ FWIW, my wife has multiple years of teaching experience in both public and private school settings. #1 difference, AIIEC, between the two is the quality and dedication of the parent(s).

Even in the rare occasion where she has a behavioral issue in the private school setting...involve the parents and the problem is cleared up PRONTO. AND...instead of blaming the teacher for little Johnny's issue(s)...she is praised for handling the misbehavior, etc.

Parents...#1.

 

[hawkbirch]

Remove them from the normal classroom, they did when I was in school.

If the district is large enough they should be able to staff a special ed environment. Smaller districts will have to bus their trouble makers to these larger districts. Wasting hours on a bus is better than wasting hours of normal kids time. Only way they get back into mainstream classroom is by proving they can handle it.

Yes that is expensive and yes more money will need to be spent, but the current model of all these para’s babysitting shit kids in the mainstream classroom isn’t cheap either.

Maybe these removed kids only get bussed three days a week and the other is served out almost like in school suspension where they are isolated.

Yup, these special ed teachers should be paid more and I truly believe people would be willing to spend more if the message of cleaning up the classrooms was communicated effectively. Also think teacher and administrators could then focus on what they wanted to do when they entered the profession.

We can all at least agree I hope that nothing will improve until the disrupters are gone from the mainstream classroom. It only takes a few incidents before people with the financial ability say “I am out, private is the only way”.

Just put them straight in prison and offer no option to choose differently? Not every child has a parent encouraging them to be better. For some kids, it’s a teacher that gave enough shits to take an interest that makes all the difference in the world.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Just put them straight in prison and offer no option to choose differently? Not every child has a parent encouraging them to be better. For some kids, it’s a teacher that gave enough shits to take an interest that makes all the difference in the world.

I must have mistyped prison and not special ed instruction until proven they could go back into classroom.

If you want some kid swinging cussing acting up in classroom don’t bitch when normal kids with normal parents go private. Nobody learns a god damn thing with a nut in the classroom. Ruining the education of 20+ kids so somebody that obviously needs intense attention is so compelling. I guess next you will tell us the normal kids can get up to speed at night.

Our school had a middle school student punch a para in the face which caused enough damage to need medical care. Student was charged but after a period of time the kid wash pushed back into the classroom and the para quit that very day. Such a great learning environment.

 

[Tom Paris]

Isn't basically every profession in the country struggling to find qualified applicants, though? I don't think what the teacher / administrator profession is experiencing is unique, really.

What other jobs are people quitting because thousands absolutely hate doing the job...mostly because they go to work and are verbally assaulted every day? Again, spend a few weeks trying to manage classrooms full of poorly raised children and tell me the job isn't unique. People are quitting teaching by the thousands because the job sucks in so many schools.

 

[Tom Paris]

The least restrictive environment/mainstreaming is mandated by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The scenario you propose is illegal under current US law. Schools aren't mainstreaming to save money they are simply complying with the law.

Which is why I have multiple times stated that laws need to be changed to address behaviors. I'm talking serious behaviors...not your basic misbehavior that most people remember from their childhood. Shit's extreme now.

 

[joelbc1]

Public schools are nothing more than a microcosm of our American society. Especially the last 50 years or so. People downplay tradition and respect and replace it with their own brand (and definition) of independence and rights…….Remember, you can never enjoy or rightfully express your rights without first respecting their rights of others. With respect and discipline nothing short of kaos will ever be accomplished.
Private schools do nothing to build this trust in tradition and respect. They divide first to form their own brand of respect and disciplined. They are no different than public schools, except they are for the most opart, more swell heeled.

 

[MitchLL]

Meddling parents trying to control school curriculum and special interest people being elected to school boards have certainly made administrative positions challenging.

The Governor of Mississippi North isn't helping either.
Still hopeful a compromised liver takes care of the problem.

 

[stickman80]

What other jobs are people quitting because thousands absolutely hate doing the job...mostly because they go to work and are verbally assaulted every day? Again, spend a few weeks trying to manage classrooms full of poorly raised children and tell me the job isn't unique. People are quitting teaching by the thousands because the job sucks in so many schools.

How about healthcare?

 

[speak34]

How about healthcare?

There are too many patients that act like children and expect to be waited on hand and foot for everything. Also the same patients that use the ED as a primary care provider and don't go to a doctor's office or urgent care.

 

[hawkbirch]

I must have mistyped prison and not special ed instruction until proven they could go back into classroom.

If you want some kid swinging cussing acting up in classroom don’t bitch when normal kids with normal parents go private. Nobody learns a god damn thing with a nut in the classroom. Ruining the education of 20+ kids so somebody that obviously needs intense attention is so compelling. I guess next you will tell us the normal kids can get up to speed at night.

Our school had a middle school student punch a para in the face which caused enough damage to need medical care. Student was charged but after a period of time the kid wash pushed back into the classroom and the para quit that very day. Such a great learning environment.

If you think your solution is reasonable, there is no reason for anyone to waste the time to try to respond to you. I'm certainly sorry I did.

 

[stickman80]

There are too many patients that act like children and expect to be waited on hand and foot for everything. Also the same patients that use the ED as a primary care provider and don't go to a doctor's office or urgent care.

...and in any hospital/urgent care the providers are dealing with far more dangers including phtsical threats than teachers.

I'd take the pay argument out of this. Everyone thinks all teachers are underpaid.....that isn't true. Everyone thinks health care providers are all well paid.....that isn't true either.

Teacher get breaks to refresh themselves.....not nearly as much for health care providers.

 

[Hans81]

Underpaid and under appreciated. Pay teachers better, get better teachers. Some deserve combat pay.

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

[win1forthe]

I have a 5th grade opening in my building. 10 years ago, I’d have 200+ applicants. This year, 25. Called six candidates for interviews, only two called back. I retire in three years, so I can’t imagine how bad the teacher shortage will be at that point. I have seven teachers going out as well when I leave.

We just hired a new superintendent last spring, but it took a while. I told our board I would do the job this school year in order to give them more time to find the right person, but I wanted them to give me three years of credit for doing the job. They declined…heck, it was worth a shot.