Educator crunch While the need for teachers rises, applications dwindle

By Jaci conrad Pearson

Black Hills Pioneer

NORTHERN HILLS — With the once-robust quantity of teacher applications dwindling as positions at the helm of the classroom open up and college graduates to fill the educator pipeline in a similar decline, local school districts are navigating the shift to a tighter labor pool, not only in the teacher arena, but other areas of school district operation, as well. Local area superintendents shared their thoughts on the educator crunch and ways their districts are mitigating the shift.

Spearfish School District

Spearfish School District

Superintendent Kirk Easton said his district is experiencing teacher shortages in the areas of special education, science, and math.

“A new shortage that we are experiencing as well is school counselors,” he said. “We have advertised for a few weeks for a couple of school counselors and have only received two applicants. When these folks can make more in private practice than in a school, it’s hard to blame them. Also, the past couple of years it has really been difficult to fill all of our para-professional positions as well as all of our custodial positions.”

Easton attributes the teacher/ school district employee shortage to obvious, as well as underlying factors.

“I think we could certainly point towards teacher pay as a leading contributor to less folks wanting to go into the profession or leaving the profession,” he said. “However, there is a lot more stress placed upon a teacher, as well, that contributes to the decline. Educators have been asked to do more with less, they have encountered more adverse student behaviors, they receive less parental support, and see the politicization of our schools as an attack on the profession.”

In regard to how it affects district operations, Easton said when it comes to para-professionals, the shortage really affects the ability to work with students individually or in small groups.

“The teacher is not getting the assistance to provide additional support for those students in need. As for custodians, as you can imagine it puts more stress on our custodial staff to keep each building as clean and operational as possible.

Mitigation measures Easton sees as a solution are two-fold.

“Certainly, more funding to schools so that we may increase salary and benefits will help, but we also need to reduce the stressors on those already in the profession so they choose not to leave,” he said.

In regard to substitute teachers, Easton said each year, it seems to get a little worse.

“This is another arena that the pay needs to be addressed, as well,” he said. “We do our best to increase that