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Monday, Jan. 30, 2023

Did Act 10 contribute to a teacher shortage in Wisconsin?


yes

Act 10 — former Gov. Scott Walker's 2011 law cutting benefits and curbing collective bargaining for most public employees in Wisconsin — has contributed to the ongoing shortage of teachers in the state, according to multiple analyses.

The combined effect of Act 10's passage with long-term market trends including declining compensation and the loss of teachers' autonomy raised the percentage of teachers leaving the profession to 10.5% after the 2010-11 school year, compared to 6.4% pre-Act 10. The bulk of teachers who immediately exited were older and left to claim their retirement benefits, which were set to be cut under Act 10.

However, the long-term effect of Act 10 on the teacher shortage remains unclear. In 2015-16, for example, the pace of teacher attrition dipped below pre-Act 10 levels in Wisconsin.

Teacher shortages are occurring nationwide. One study placed the number of teacher vacancies at over 36,000 nationally and 2,565 in Wisconsin.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

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