Louisiana - A recent preview of the Louisiana Department of Education's (LDOE) annual Teacher Exit Data Report reveals a promising trend in the state's education system: a 2 percent decrease in the number of teachers leaving their current positions. This downward shift in teacher turnover marks the second consecutive year the state has seen a decline in the number of educators exiting the profession.
According to the report, 13 percent of teachers in traditional public schools left their positions in the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 15 percent in the 2022-2023 school year. This translates to 6,297 teachers leaving their positions, down from 6,873 the previous year. The overall number of teachers exiting the profession has decreased for two consecutive years, with 6,944 teachers leaving in the 2021-2022 school year.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley attributes this decline to the state's efforts to support teachers and provide them with the resources they need to thrive. "Outside of the parent, the classroom teacher has the largest impact on student learning," Dr. Brumley explained. "Louisiana is committed to providing every student with an effective teacher, and we must continue to listen to these professionals and give them the support they need to succeed."
To address the issue of teacher turnover, the state has implemented several initiatives and policies aimed at supporting educators and providing school systems with additional avenues to recruit and retain quality teachers. One such initiative is the Let Teachers Teach workgroup, launched by Dr. Brumley to develop common sense solutions to unnecessary bureaucracies and classroom disruptions that keep teachers from teaching students. The workgroup, composed of over two dozen teachers from across the state, has seen many of its recommendations adopted into state policy.
In addition to the Let Teachers Teach workgroup, the state has created additional pathways into the teaching profession, such as a program targeted at military families and the associate teacher program. The state has also provided school systems with funding to direct additional pay towards areas of greatest need, including recruitment and retention of teachers in critical shortage areas, highly effective teachers, teachers working in high need schools, and teachers in leadership positions.
The Teacher Exit Data Report is required by state law and is developed annually by the LDOE. The report is based on data collected from local school systems, which conduct exit interviews with teachers who leave their positions. During the 2023-2024 school year, the LDOE received data from all 69 traditional school systems in the state.