FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): In the midst of a recent report citing that 18 percent of Indiana’s educators and administrations quit their jobs in a single year, WOWO News is trying to figure out why.

We spoke with Julie Hydman, President of the Fort Wayne Education Association, to get her take on the recent stat from the Indiana Department of Education. She says most teachers are probably leaving due to a lack of pay and a lack of respect.

“It’s probably a combination of experienced and new teachers who have decided they have student loans so they’re not going to stick with it, but I think that there’s a general lack of respect across the profession.”

She went on to say that she’s concerned an “experience drain” like this will hinder the overall development and education of students. However, when it comes to the truth behind why so many educators are leaving the profession, Hydman says, state leaders just need to ask.

“They need to go to the public schools who are held to a higher degree of accountability… where as we have other schools receiving our tax dollars, but they don’t have the accountability that our public school teachers are held to.”

Meanwhile, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz says gathering data on why teacher’s leave would require a change in state law.