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Board hears retention data, staff retention steps and summer-program participation
Summary
District staff reported a 88% overall retention rate for 2023–24 (89% excluding administrators), 43 certified resignations, and plans including stay interviews, perception surveys and a wellness committee; presenters also highlighted nearly 2,300 unique students in summer programs.
District staff presented detailed teacher-retention data and summer-program highlights at the Sept. 23 Mukwonago School District board meeting.
Presenter summarized 2023–24 staffing: 361 certified staff, 43 certified resignations and an overall retention rate of 88% (89% when administrators are excluded). The district’s objective is a 95% retention rate for 2025–26. The presenter said voluntary teacher resignations were about 6% for the year, and that special-education resignations are a statewide concern.
“About 70% of our resignations are coming from teachers with 0 to 10 years of service,” the presenter said, and highlighted that most resignations occur between April and June, which gives the district time to recruit replacements before the next school year.
Exit interviews and survey feedback produced two main themes: requests for clearer, more frequent communication from building and district leadership, and concerns about compensation and benefits flexibility. To address the findings, the presenter listed short-term and ongoing actions: personalized outreach to new teachers, stay interviews to reach 25% of teaching staff in fall and spring, a staff wellness committee, expanded communications (biweekly staff news with standing items), and targeted professional development for administrators to give more useful feedback to teachers.
The presentation also covered summer offerings and participation: nearly 2,300 unique students took part in summer programs (roughly 45–46% of district enrollment), with the Big Summer Adventures program serving about 1,360 students. Presenters credited nearly 100 district teachers who supported summer offerings, and described pilots of ELA and science resources, Bridges math adoption training for K–5, and reading foundational skills work.
Board members asked clarifying questions about years-of-service metrics, the inclusion of retirements in figures, and examples of retention tactics. The presenter said historical data collection is limited (this was the first year organized this way), pledged to gather more longitudinal data and noted the district will present assessment and report-card benchmark changes when DPI results are finalized later this fall.
