Educational Issues

Will it get worse before it gets better?

Baby boomers are one-third of today's teachers. When they retire, who will teach the children? There is growing concern that we will have a serious teaching shortage.

Teacher shortages have been a concern for 20 years or more. But, just like most concerns, until it hits us in the face, we don't think it will happen.

When nurses were plentiful, the wages stayed low. Now, we have a nursing shortage and the wages have jumped significantly. Somehow, hospitals that claimed they didn't have the money to pay nurses more in the past found the money. Read more: Nursing Assignment Help For Students.

What are the reasons for this teacher shortage? There are many as one would suspect.

1. High cost of a college education. Students are paying more and more for a college education and graduating deeper in debt. Because they need to pay off their guaranteed student loans, they are concerned about making a livable wage. When teaching salaries are compared to other professional careers, the choice is rather easy. Unless you have a true passion for teaching and are willing to live below other professionals economically, you choose another profession.
2. Licensure Requirements. According to Kavan Peterson, staff writer for Writemypaperbro.com, Iowa has one of the toughest licensure requirements in the United States. Teachers are required to develop a massive portfolio, pass a Praxis exam, be on probation for three years with a mentor and be paid at one of the lowest levels in the U.S. Iowa falls 41st out of 50 states. Many potential teachers look at this scenario and think, "Too little compensation for the work required."
3. Math and Science Minds Saying "No Thanks." An area that is already showing a shortage is math and science teachers. Smaller Iowa schools are receiving 3-4 applications when seeking math or science teachers. Students with a talent in math and science are looking into the business world for opportunities instead of teaching. They compare starting salaries in teaching at $22,000 with business at $35,000 and higher. It could possibly take them 10-15 years of teaching to get to the beginning salary level they could receive in another profession.
4. Classroom Management Managing a large classroom of students is not for the weak. Many students are now in the classrooms because of the "least restrictive environment" directive. A generation ago, some students would have been in a different room and secluded from the general classroom. Today, a typical classroom of 25-30 students can easily have all the following:
5. Aspergers
6. Autism
7. Attention Deficit Disorder
8. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
9. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
10. Truancy
11. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
12. Talented and Gifted
13. Dyslexia
14. Mentally Disabled
15. Explosive Child
16. Depression
17. Social Phobia/Anxieties
18. English as a Second Language
19. Non-Verbal Disorder
20. Sexually abused
21. Physically abused
22. Drugs/alcohol Teachers are expected to manage the classroom, be experts on the list above, maintain control, teach lessons so that all can understand, build the students' self-esteem, remember who is on what program, make testing and curriculum modifications, keep students safe, monitor for harassment, communicate with parents, fulfill local standards and benchmarks, keep students focused, keep track of who did not do my math homework, listen to parents blame them for all of their child's failures, document behaviors, attend meetings before and after school, stay positive, and attend in-services announcing more to do. It is a wonder so many continue teaching long enough to qualify for retirement.

The shortage will continue to get worse unless the legislatures act and compensate the teaching profession like other careers requiring a college degree.

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Latest Statistics on Teachers

What is the portrait of today's teacher in the United States? The National Education Association has outlined the characteristics and issues facing the profession.

Yesterday

Teaching has had dramatic changes over the past 40 years. Between 1950 and 1970, it was common to find teachers in classrooms with two-year degrees, no behavior management training, and little knowledge of learning disabilities. There were often no televisions in the classrooms. No one even dreamed of computers, copiers, portable calculators, or telephones in the classroom. A classroom consisted of desks, black chalk board, chalk, books and a record player. One-fifth of teachers held an advanced degree.

Fast-Forward To The Present

Today, teachers can send a message to print their worksheet written on a portable laptop to the office printer 500 feet away by wireless message. Students are presenting reports at the middle school level by Power Point. These changes happened in 25 years and teachers have had to keep pace in this world of changing technology. There is more added to their already full plate every year.

What Is A Typical Teacher?

According to NEA's research, today's teacher is

• White
• Female
• Married
• Religious
• 43 years old
• Over half hold a Master's Degree
• Interesting Facts

3 Teachers of the 21st Century:

spend an average of 50+ hours per week on teaching duties, including noncompensated school-related activities such as grading papers, bus duty, club advising, fund raisers, phone calls at home, and evening activity supervision.
teach an average of 21 pupils at the elementary and 28 at the high school level.
spend an average of $443 per year of their own money to meet the needs of their students. Elementary teachers spend about $498 per year. Secondary teachers spend about $386.
make an average starting salary of $31,704 per year.
73% enter the teaching profession because of their desire to work with young people.

What Are The Trends Of Today?

America's public school teachers are the most educated, most experienced ever. Half of the teachers have 15 years of experience or more. The majority of teachers hold one or more advanced degrees. Public school teachers are highly skilled in the subjects they teach.
The work of teachers is being transformed. Teachers are learning new skills and sharpening the ones they've already developed. Teachers are enriching their lessons with technology.
The number of teachers leaving the profession is increasing. Working conditions and low salaries are by far the primary reasons cited by individuals who do not plan to continue teaching until retirement. Nation-wide, more than 3.9 million teachers will be needed because of attrition, retirement and increased student enrollment. Many new teachers leave after five years. Teacher shortages appear in some subjects more than others (math, science, counseling, special education).
The teaching corps in public schools does not reflect the diversity of the student population. More teachers of color are needed. The percentage of African-American teachers is the lowest since 1971. Classroom success depends on cultural diversity.
Just 25% of the nation's 3 million teachers are men. Male numbers are gradually dwindling. States that have high salaries have more male teachers.
While there is a trend, it is not going in a direction that will be good for the country. The teacher shortage is looming closer every year. Three things are quite evident:
* We need more minority teachers.
* We need more male teachers.
* We need to keep the teachers we have.
If education for our children is important, we as a country will need to prioritize needs and put more funding into teacher salaries. Children are our future and the U.S. is already falling behind other nations of the world in education. A teacher shortage is not going to improve that situation.

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Dallas-Fort Worth In A Hiring War

The long predicted teacher shortage is finally coming to fruition in Texas. The Dallas area is seeing salaries spiking and perks increasing.

For years, we have heard predictions of a teacher shortage looming but there always seem to be enough applications when a position opens--until now.

Teacher Shortage Reaches Crisis Levels

While there may be a surplus of teachers grades K-4, middle school and high school teachers are a different story. Math and science teachers are in short supply and some school districts are contacting teachers already teaching, trying to lure them away. Even English, foreign language, special education and social studies teachers are fewer today than in the past. The most critical shortage is at the high school level.

Higher Salaries as Job Lures

If you are a school district in need of a teacher, how do you fill the spot? Money. Schools are resorting to "stipends" to lure teachers to their school. Higher salaries are also becoming common. Texas is seeing the average starting teacher salary rise toward $40,000. Bilingual teachers in some school districts are receiving $50,000 as a beginning salary.

Teacher Job Fairs

Colleges often have job fairs to assist graduates find a teaching job. K-12 school representatives set up a table while students have resumes in hand and test the waters. Irving School in Dallas proudly displays its salary schedule while passing students review. Often, they return for an interview because Irving’s salary schedule is impressive.

At job fairs, schools may offer a sign on bonus, stipend for special circumstances, and even pay for moving expenses. Students wear badges stating their name, major, BA or MA, bilingual, etc. Schools are scouts for the personal needs of their school and may get quite assertive when necessary. One bilingual student commented that her name was being called and people were pulling on her arm. Karla Zarate, a new first-grade bilingual teacher, said, "People are literally pulling on you and yelling your name. They’re kind of like hawks." [Kathy A. Goolsby and Katherine Leal Unmuth, Dallas Morning News, May 12, 2018]

Using Teacher Stipends

How do stipends work? Shortage areas may have stipends attached to the salary schedule. The beginning salary may be $45,000 but if you are willing to teach math, a $3000 stipend will raise that salary to $48,000. And, if that same teacher is willing to teach in a struggling school, a stipend of $7000 may bring the salary up to $55,000 for a beginning teacher. Being bilingual is an automatic bonus.

Keeping Good Teachers

While this may sound promising, these higher salaries are still not equal to what teachers could make in the private sector working for a corporation. What can school budgets bear? And, what about the morale of the dedicated, veteran teachers earning less?

Richard Kouri, public affairs director with the Texas State Teachers Association says, "Districts must find ways to keep the teachers they’ve hired. Otherwise, it’s a never-ending battle. It’s like trying to fill a swimming pool with a hole in the bottom by adding more water. You have to fix the hole."

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