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Sixty-eight percent of superintendents statewide said they had fewer people apply at the start of this school year than the year before. Among those who did, less than half had the right endorsements for the positions for which they were applying. That means districts have had to eliminate or go remote for some higher level classes in foreign language, science and math.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Maybe young potential teachers are beginning to learn the meaning of the word “ponzi.”
Tier 2 benefits are just so bad. Probably need to make tier 2 benefits better. Might need to increase pay for existing teachers. Perhaps offer some incentives to work longer and get an even better pension.
With inflation and poor benefits, more money will be needed for compensation.
The whole teaching profession and its pay structure is messed up, due to the unions. The only way to make big dollars is to stay in the same district. (and many teachers do make big dollars)
In most other professions one needs to jump from company to company to get decent increases.
A star teacher cannot jump districts to get a raise, it is based on length of service at that district.
Pensions should be abolished for teachers. Social Security and a 403B like the rest of the country (SS and 401k).
Tier 2 pensioners would definitely be better off with a 403b with some employer matching than their current pensions. Might not even have any trouble to get them to voluntarily to switch. Tier 1 pensioners are locked in and can’t be “abolished”.
Retirement benefits are not a factor in determining profession. There’s been a few articles citing that. And what of the other 49 states? There is no law that says college grads have to teach in Illinois.
All the teachers are retiring on large pensions to go to Florida to live in a safe retirement. Chicago is far too dangerous to live in.
Hmmmm…. A teacher shortage is bad news? Please explain. I’ve always less of something bad was good news.
Hmm, all my relatives in teaching retired by their mid 50s. Could that cause a “teacher shortage?”