1 in 4 Teachers Miss 10 or More School Days, Analysis Finds

by Sarah D. Sparks, Education Week, June 27, 2016

…Based on the Education Week analysis, Hawaii had the highest absentee rate, at 75 percent of teachers taking more than 10 days off, while in Utah, the lowest, only 16 percent do so. In Nevada, which is coping with deepening teacher shortages, nearly half of all teachers miss more than 10 days of school a year….

Nationally, 27% of pre-K through grade 12 teachers were absent for more than 10 school days during the 2013-14 school year. In the majority of states, 20-29% of teachers missed that amount of time. Hawaii (75%) and Nevada (49%) reported the highest levels of absenteeism. By contrast, Idaho (18%), South Dakota (17%), and Utah (16%) saw the lowest levels….

read … Education Week

  *   *   *   *   *

Report: Teacher absenteeism a widespread problem in Hawaii

HNN: …"It doesn't seem like it's just a few scofflaw teachers in one or two schools. It seems like something that's pretty systemic," said Sarah Sparks, reporter for Education Week.

"You had…80 schools where 9 out of 10 teachers are absent ten days or more."

Sparks said Hawaii's teacher contract provides for a relatively high number of sick days.

Teachers here are given 18 days a school year for sick leave and may convert up to 6 of those for personal or professional leave.

The absenteeism report is based on figures that the Hawaii Department of Education provided to the federal government for items such as sick days, jury duty, maternity leave and personal leave."

Corey Rosenlee, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, believes (insert litany of excuses here) ….

"You can measure learning loss when a teacher is out of the classroom for as little as five days a year," said Kate Walsh, president for the National Council for Teacher Quality.

"Kids test scores will go down from a teacher being absent." ….

read … Were Number One!