Why are Teachers Quitting? In Virginia Beach, It May Not Be “Mean Parents”

Written for Bacon's Rebellion by James Sherlock

In the latest installment of “Why are Teachers Quitting,” I have come in possession of a summary copy of the 2020 responses of Virginia Beach teachers to a survey conducted by the Virginia Beach Public Schools (VBPS) administration relating to school discipline.

Survey results were forwarded by Dr. Donald Robertson, Chief Schools Officer. Remember when you read it that this is Virginia Beach.

The PBIS system of discipline implemented in Virginia Beach and referred to in the survey is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. To see what is expected of school systems implementing PBIS, see here.

There is, of course, a 27-page PBIS blueprint. From that blueprint:

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Implementation Blueprint is to guide leadership teams in the assessment, development, and execution of action plans. The outcome is the development of local capacity for sustainable, culturally and contextually relevant, and high fidelity implementation of multi-tiered practices and systems of support.

PBIS is our old friend MTSS –

sorry, VTSS (Virginia Tiered System of Supports) – in the commonwealth.  The holy grail of the progressive left.

Let’s see how PBIS is working in Virginia Beach.

Selected Virginia Beach teacher survey results:

Q. How would you describe the effectiveness of discipline practices at your school in reducing student misbehavior? A. Not effective – 25%

Q.  Since the start of the school year, have you been concerned about your own safety because of student misbehavior? A. 38% very or somewhat concerned.

Q.  Since the start of the school year, have you been concerned about your students’ safety because of another student’s misbehavior? A.  60% very or somewhat concerned.

Q. How effective do you think PBIS is in improving student behavior in your school?  A. Very effective – 10%

Q.  Have you experienced challenges implementing PBIS in your classroom and/or school? A. No – 42%

Bottom line

These are survey results from Virginia Beach teachers asked questions, the answers to which rate the discipline effectiveness in their schools under PBIS.

Virginia Beach Public Schools (VBPS) is a highly-rated school system that is hardly the first jurisdiction one thinks of as having in-school discipline problems.

But 38% of Virginia Beach teachers – from grades K-12 – reported being concerned for their own safety in school; 60% for their students’ safety.

Those are the result of positive behavioral interventions and supports.  Hate to see what negative results look like.

Yet, the left attributes teacher resignations to “mean parents.”

That must be it.