Idaho teacher exodus accelerating

BOISE – Idaho teachers are leaving the profession in bigger numbers, with more than 1,800 making their exit last year, but at the same time, more individuals are getting certified to become educators, the state Department of Education said Friday.

The agency’s data also show an increase in the number of individuals seeking an alternative, quicker route to certification in Idaho instead of attending a traditional four-year education program offered through a college or university.

Of the 1,884 teachers who left the profession during the 2011-2012 school year, 957 year cited “personal reasons.” Another 127 were fired while 143 of the teachers were laid off.

The total number of departures increased significantly from the previous year, when 1,276 teachers left the profession, and the year before, when 716 exited.

While the data show there were about 150 fewer Idaho certified teachers last year compared to the previous year, the department said the number of certificated employees in the state’s public school system overall, when including positions such as school counselors and principals, has remained relatively unchanged. There were 17,851 certificated individuals working in Idaho’s schools last year, compared to 17,915 the previous year.

“We are losing an unacceptably high number of experienced teachers,” said Idaho Education Association President Penni Cyr. “If we continue to silence teachers’ voices and impose one-size-fits-all mandates, the best and brightest teachers will be discouraged from working in the schools that need them most.”