Fox13 Tampa Bay: New Programs, Incentives Aim to Recruit and Retain Educators as ‘Burned Out’ Teachers Pursue Other Professions

The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on the burnout educators are currently experiencing. Several states and institutions across the country are desperately looking for ways to recruit teachers and students into the education industry.

Deena Porter, the owner of Sylvan Learning in Lakeland, worked as a teacher for 15 years and as a center director for 10 years with the Sylvan location she now owns. She understands the burnout all too well. Long hours, low pay, new ways of teaching and inability to give students one-on-one attention led her to make a career change and transition to a management role.

"It was frustrating for me not to be able to reach all of them," said Porter. “Most people would know that trying to individualize in a classroom setting is not conducive for that. It's very difficult. It's not that it can't be done to a certain degree, but it's very difficult for a teacher.”

Florida Teacher Lead Network and The Teacher's Resource Organization were both started to provide resources to struggling teachers. Meanwhile, The Florida Department of Education is working to raise the average starting salary for a teacher from $40,000 to at least $47,000 a year.