As a shortage of teachers persists in school districts across the U.S., students are getting packed into classrooms.
That’s according to a new report from Fox News focused on a shortage in Arizona. There, “almost a quarter of their teaching jobs are consistently vacant,” said the report. Often, people who fill the positions aren’t properly certified, said the report.
“Representatives for school districts in the Phoenix-area say they’ve been feeling this shortage for almost a decade, and there’s no end in sight,” it added.
Arizona isn’t the only state where educators are hard to find. WALB in Georgia reported this week that Georgia Southwestern State is working to address the number of vacant positions in the subjects of math, science, special education, and other subjects with new programs.
“We also offer graduate programs. So, we have master’s programs in elementary and middle grades and Special Education. And then we also offer education specialist degrees in elementary and middle grades and teacher leadership,” said Dr. Rachel Abbott, Dean of the College of Education at GSW.
CBS station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pa., also reported this week that Pennsylvania doesn’t have “nearly as many” teachers as it needs to serve students in the state.
“In Allegheny County, we’re seeing there are no subs. We’re seeing teachers and support staff can barely get time off whenever they need it,” said Annie Briscoe of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. This month, the Pennsylvania Black Caucus hosted a panel on the importance of having Black teachers in classrooms, per Erie News Now.
Teacher shortages have been a challenge for U.S. schools since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Education. However, the pandemic also made the problem worse, with 9% of all local public education jobs (730,000) lost.
“Remaining shortages vary significantly from state to state, district to district and school to school,” said the department. “Additionally, before the pandemic, schools were already experiencing shortages, with disproportionate impacts on students of color, students with disabilities, and English learners.”
According to Fox, states where more than half the school districts have a tough time filling school position vacancy include Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Florida and Michigan.
“The problem is not just current teachers exiting the field. It’s that there are fewer people entering the profession to replace them,” said a report published this January in Forbes about the “epic crisis” facing education this year.
It quoted Jay Schroder, a veteran teacher and author of Teach From Your Best Self, who explained that teachers are discouraging young people from entering the profession. Indeed, a 2022 nationally representative survey found that fewer than one in five Americans would encourage a young person to become a K-12 teacher.
Forbes noted that teaching is known to be a low-paying profession as well as a difficult one. On May 12, “Saturday Night Live” even opened an episode with a skit about difficult students.
“Y’all won,” said the teachers, referring to a “battlefield” between teachers and students.
As of July 2022, the National Center for Education Statistics said that 87% of public schools reported that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted student socio-emotional development during the 2021–22 school year. Additionally, 84% of public schools agreed or strongly agreed that students’ behavioral development has also been negatively impacted.
Earlier this year, educator Jessica Kato wrote a piece for EdSurge about the different challenges associated with the current generations of learners at K-12 schools, including Gen Alpha. The oldest students in this generation were around 10 years old when the pandemic hit.
“This year, I’ve been working closely with middle school teachers at multiple schools and I’ve seen that they’re struggling more than ever. I have been part of numerous conversations about how these students have a more challenging time conforming to the current norms of schooling,” said Kato. “I’ve heard many teachers and administrators talk of learning loss, behavioral challenges and developmental stagnation due to the pandemic. And I’ve heard repeatedly that engagement is low. Teachers are frustrated that students do not seem to have the academic or social skills expected in middle school and often share that their students do not care about learning.”
While she acknowledged these challenges, Kato also said that there are strengths students have today that new generations of educators can lean into going forward. These include a sense of global connection through the internet, curiosity and “big questions”, as well as empathy and a desire for change.
“Every student should have access to outstanding, well-prepared, well-supported educators who reflect the diversity of the students they serve,” said the Department of Education. It also said that “historic investments in the American Rescue Plan,” have helped school districts make progress in hiring and eliminating shortages.
Still, there’s more work to be done.