It is well known that a quality teacher is the most important factor in the success of students. Public education reformers and old-school union activists will agree on that point, even if little else.
However, a new study indicates a problem that undercuts the effectiveness of teachers – showing up. Crosscut notes that the study found that over 40% of Seattle Public School teachers were absent for at least 11 days annually.
Of course, a spokesperson at Seattle Public Schools was ready with their solution – “the district will review the results with the teachers’ union, the Seattle Education Association, to see whether any new recommendations can be made based on the data.”
How about this suggestion – a recommendation for teachers to show up to work more often?