Wisconsin teachers retiring early to protect benefits

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/119892934.html


Governor Scott Walker's Union-busting, not related to the budget-bill is driving Wisconsin teachers into retirement to avoid losing their benefits.


<snip>

At a time when the governor's plan to eliminate most collective bargaining for teachers and increase state employees' payments for health care and pension costs looms overhead, some school districts are seeing record numbers of senior teachers such as Scharrer-
Erickson turn in their retirement paperwork.

Although their pensions are beyond the reach of lawmakers and local officials, many teachers fear that changes could mean they soon could lose early retirement benefits such as health insurance that helps support them until they are eligible for Medicare.

Some districts, such as Oshkosh, Appleton and Madison, have extended their retirement deadlines to Friday. Preliminary figures reported by Oshkosh and Appleton showed a large increase in the number of teachers filing retirement paperwork. Oshkosh's 37 staff retirements is double last year's number and the highest since the district started tracking in 1994. Appleton already had seen 70 retirements from teachers and others in their bargaining group this week, up 29 from last year.


<end snip>

[leveymg]

1. Spouse doing the same thing in another state.

When there's a Tsunami coming, you grab the ones closest to you and run like hell for the hills.

[spooky3]

2. Same here.

[Sabriel]

3. Not good for veteran teachers, but great for my students

They're going on the job market, and for the first time, there are actually multiple openings.

They're not happy about the political climate, but they're thrilled about the opportunity to apply and interview for jobs.

The unprecedented turnover could be a positive, in a way, for education in Wisconsin. The slots will most likely be filled with early-career teachers and new teachers who are familiar with differentiation, working with ELL and special-needs students, and who have new ideas about using technology to engage students.

Before anyone flames me, I realize that not all veteran/long-term teachers aren't familiar with those issues, but many of them did get certified when there was little idea what works for marginalized populations.