The Dean of the Florida State University College of Education said Monday that in the past three years, enrollment in the undergraduate education program has dropped 20 percent.
She blames this decline on policies over the last several years that have placed greater scrutiny over the teaching profession.
“In general the climate for teachers has been difficult,” said Dean Marcy Driscoll. She was speaking to reporters at a symposium focused on the new data-driven methods for evaluating teachers based on test scores of students.
In Florida, schools are now required to tie teacher salaries to test score data.
“We hear parents say to their kids ‘Are you sure you want to be a teacher? Teachers aren’t being paid very well,’ ” Driscoll said. “Working conditions for teachers are more difficult than they used to be.”
