Wisconsin public schools struggling with teacher retention, especially in special education

Wisconsin could solve its teacher shortage not by recruiting more educators but by persuading current ones to remain in their positions, a recent government report concludes.

“The ongoing staffing challenges facing Wisconsin’s schools continue to be rooted in retention,” the state’s Department of Public Instruction wrote. “The data suggests that if Wisconsin could retain its educators, along with more completers of educator preparation programs, this would significantly address the shortages schools are experiencing.”

Only 55% of public-school teachers – and 46% of teachers in special education – had remained in their original jobs after seven years, according to the report.

State Superintendent Jill Underly, who is running for re-election, called the turnover rate “alarming” and “a recipe for educator burnout.”

“It’s a crisis for our students, our families, our schools and our communities, and we must do something now,” she told WEAU 13 News. “Our schools are telling us they need help with fewer teachers. The ones who stay on are stretched thinner and thinner, trying to meet the growing needs of every student.” 

‘State leaders must step up and innovate’ 

While Underly is requesting more financial assistance to address the challenges outlined in the report, other educational analysts are proposing teacher apprenticeships instead. 

“Throwing money at the same old solutions continues to fail,” said CJ Szafir, president of the Institute for Reforming Government. “State leaders must step up and innovate instead of overspending on already failing programs. Forty-six other states have the solution. It’s time Wisconsin embraces teacher apprenticeships.” 

By expanding the state’s limited apprenticeship program beyond a few districts, schools can help new teachers cut student debt while also gaining classroom experience, according to Szafir. 

“Battle-tested teachers are better prepared to manage classrooms and stay in the communities that hired them.” 

Because special education teachers “face unique stressors and are at high risk for burnout and attrition,” they tend to have lower retention rates than their counterparts, the report noted. 

“The retention trajectory for first-year special education teachers is similar to that of the whole first year cohort, but with larger drop-offs in each of the first three years,” researchers wrote. 

To combat this, the Eau Claire Area School District in western Wisconsin has made special-education retention one of its priorities, said HR manager Brandon Wick. 

“One of the things that we’ve done with our compensation plan is typically at about every six years, there’s a retention bump that’s built into our certified schedule,” he explained, adding this helps the district take proactive measures to support staff. 

The district is the eighth largest in the Badger State and serves more than 11,000 students. 

“We’re always looking to retain and recruit our best teachers,” Wick said, “and that’s really the lifeblood of our organization.”