1. Dave Umhoefer, 2015-16 O’Brien Fellow Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Act 10 at Five
Dave Umhoefer, O’Brien Fellow Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2. Views of superintendents in rural districts
Overall view of Act 10 impact
66% POSITIVE about end of most bargaining
Only 36% would GO BACK IN TIME before Act 10 if they could
But 55% saw “lasting negative effect” on their own morale

3. Behind the morale issue
In survey comments, superintendents cited:
Severely damaged teacher morale, view of profession
High teacher turnover
The drop in teacher take-home pay
Financial challenges and other factors
Surprise, speed of Act 10

4. Collaboration and Innovation
DEEP SPLITS in opinion
On whether Act 10 hurt teacher-admin collaboration
On whether less bargaining helped admins try new educational ideas.

5. Views on teacher turnover
Retirements, free agency, departures from profession
Retires - nearly 50% NEGATIVE on retirement effect on educational quality
But 25% POSITIVE
All -- 41% NEGATIVE vs. 26% POSITIVE on effect of all types of turnover since 2011
Effect on teacher PERFORMANCE – 22% said it was HURT

6. COMPENSATION FINDINGS
BASE PAY : 61% reported growth slow, stopped, reversed for teachers – but 23% said increased.
Salary grids: Fading fast, but not nearly gone
OPEB benefits change since 2011: 40% greatly reduced or eliminated, 23% somewhat reduced, 31% no real change, 5% enhanced.
HEALTH PREMIUM COSTS: 25% report lower total premium cost per teacher - 20% no change….54% higher.

7. New approaches to pay Nearly 50% more often customizing teacher raises
35% figuring base pay at least in part on performance or merit-based system
50% report seniority has less influence, but 45% reported no change (similar story with graduate credits).
10% said student achievement level has more influence on pay now

8. Extent of teacher turnover post Act 10
Percent of teaching staff new since 2011:
50% or more – 1 in 8 rural districts
33% to 49% -- 1 in 3 districts
20% to 32% - 1 in 3 districts
10%-19% in 5 districts
Less than 10% - 1 in 20

9. Retention in the era of free agency
Since Act 10, 78% of rural districts are losing more teachers when another districts offers more
62% of districts report more use of wage premiums to retain
66% are losing teachers more often just before school or during the year

10. Recruiting, competing
52% more often hiring teachers from other districts by paying above scale or giving raise
Size of those wage premiums:
$15,000 - $20,000: 9% of districts paid at least one
$8,000 - $10,000: 7%
$5,000 - $8,000: 14%
$3,000 - $5,000: 42%
$1,000 - $3,000: about 50%
Under $1,000: %

11. Subject matter taught in “bonus” cases
40% hired in career and tech ed
20% speech and language
36% other special ed
22% math
20% science
19% other core subjects
7% bilingual

12. More on recruiting
Using “bonuses” to hire new-to-the-profession teachers
44% of districts doing it more often – 54% no change
Losing out on applicants of any experience level
67% seeing it more often

13. “Haves” and “Have Nots”
Geography Matters
71% of mostly rural school districts reported losing out on teaching applicants more often after Act 10 when other districts paid more.
Comparison:
50% among urban/suburban schools.

14. Money matters Money Matters:
85% of districts with lower teacher pay than nearby peer districts reported losing teachers more often after Act 10.
57% of districts with higher pay reported the same.
Turnover and View of Quality:
Amid turnover, districts tend to feel better about teacher quality if they are able to boost or maintain growth in base salaries.

15. Growth matters
Enrollment trend and pay:
67% of declining-enrollment districts reported base-salary growth had stopped, slowed or reversed.
Among increasing-enrollment districts, 34% reported that.

16. Accountability – Job security
Non renewal: Before Act 10, 45% likely when ongoing subpar performance. Now, 86%.
50% say NR more likely now to NR when poor fit.
Performance trumps seniority in layoffs in 90% of districts sampled
Advance notice of observations is rare

17. Just cause standard and IHOs
From random sample of 100 districts (rural and otherwise):
16 of 100 districts retained “just cause” in cases of non-renew, discipline, both
CBAs, in 66% of districts, unions helped appoint arbitrator.
In handbooks: 10% retained right of teachers to help appoint IHO.

18. Scheduling teachers
Classroom instruction time: 24% of districts say teachers have more. 72% no significant change. 4% LESS.
Prep and planning time: 22% say less, 11% more, 66% same.

19. Wrap up Free Agency effects showed disparities
Caution on changing working conditions too fast
Competition – tension, but collaboration too among districts
Merit pay models – deep resistance
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