Stats Say Teachers Getting Younger and Younger

(Memphis) According to research by the University of Pennsylvania, teacher attrition rates are rising across the United States.

That means more teachers are leaving and new, inexperienced teachers are taking their place.

The research shows back in 1987, the biggest group of teachers had 15 years of experience.

Nowadays? The biggest group has only one year of experience under their belt.

“Should parents be concerned about this new trend of young teachers?” asked Reporter Sabrina Hall.

“No. I don’t think so,” said Ronnie Mackin.

Here in Memphis, Mackin is the head of schools for the Achievement School District.

The state-run initiative is to move the bottom five percent of schools in Tennessee to the top 25 percent.

He says he knows teachers are important, but doesn’t think age or experience defines their worth.

“We look at their grit. We look at their determination. We look at their high expectations  and we match them with mentors that have five to ten years in the classroom,” said Mackin.

He says the majority of the teachers in the Achievement District have five or more years of experience.

Only a fourth of them are just starting out in their careers.

Memphis City Schools couldn’t give us its numbers today, but Mackin believes older, more experienced teachers, don’t necessarily mean better, “They need to be concerned about the quality of teachers they have, not their youthful experience.”