March 15, 2023

Dear Angela,


When great educators stay in our schools, our kids do better. But last year 30% of DC teachers left their classrooms. The year before that 26% left, and it was 19% the year before that. Today I introduced the Educator Retention for Student Success Act of 2023 to stop this trend of educator burnout, both for our students and for teachers who are leaving a profession they love.


Check out the WUSA9 story on this bill, and read the press release from today's bill introduction, below.


Sincerely, 


Robert 

Watch WUSA9 Story on the Educator Retention for Student Success Act

Councilmember Robert White Addresses 30% of Teachers Leaving with Bill to Retain Educators

WASHINGTON, DC (March 15, 2023) – Today Councilmember Robert White introduced the Educator Retention for Student Success Act of 2023 to keep good teachers in DC Public School (DCPS) classrooms. Last week, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released data showing that 30% of teachers left their schools last year. This is up from 26% the year before and 19% the year before that. White’s teacher retention bill would put into law what teachers have said they need to avoid burning out and leaving the profession they love--from paid mental health days to flexible scheduling.

 

“When great educators stay in our schools, our kids do better. When good teachers leave, our schools are unstable,” White said. A DC State Board of Education report found that the majority of educators departing DCPS were teachers rated as effective and highly effective. White said, “High educator turnover has serious effects on how well kids do in school and their social and emotional development. Not to mention, educator turnover comes at a high cost to taxpayers. It costs about $20,000 to replace each teacher. That equals millions of dollars that could be better spent on students and schools.”

 

Eight Councilmembers have signed on in support of this bill, with Councilmember Allen as lead co-introducer and Councilmembers McDuffie, Nadeau, T. White, Pinto, Lewis George, Parker, and Frumin also co-introducing this bill.

 

Read full text of the bill here.

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My office is available to you. Connect with me and my staff via phone or email. Please call my personal office at (202) 724-8174, or my committee office at (202) 727-8270, or email any of my team members. If you have a moment, please take my 3-question constituent survey here.

  PERSONAL OFFICE STAFF

 

Robert White | Councilmember | rwhite@dccouncil.gov

Angela Fowlkes | Chief of Staff | afowlkes@dccouncil.gov

Katie Whitehouse | Legislative Director | kwhitehouse@dccouncil.gov

Andre Strickland | Constituent Services Director | astrickland@dccouncil.gov

Devon Haynes | Communications Director | dhaynes@dccouncil.gov

Lisa Wright | Legislative Assistant | lwright@dccouncil.gov

Sam Walden | Office Manager | swalden@dccouncil.gov

 

HOUSING COMMITTEE STAFF

 

Shawn Hilgendorf | Committee Director | shilgendorf@dccouncil.gov

Sean Cuddihy | Deputy Committee Director | scuddihy@dccouncil.gov

Neah Evering | Legislative Counsel | nevering@dccouncil.gov

Caitlin Cocilova | Legislative Counsel | ccocilova@dccouncil.gov


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Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember, At-Large | Council of the District of Columbia
Phone: (202) 724-8174 | Fax: (202) 727-8210 | www.RobertWhiteAtLarge.com