Nationwide teacher shortage hits poor, rural areas hardest - Entrepreneur Generations

McDowell County, W.V. (Wikipedia)

The nation is facing a growing teacher shortage, and schools in poor, rural areas are being hit hardest. One example is McDowell County in West Virginia, where teachers quit often and substitute teachers may have no specialized knowledge of the subject they're being asked to teach. "Close to one in five teaching positions were filled by substitute or uncertified teachers in the 2016-17 school year, a high percentage for any school district," Emily Hanford reports for American Public Media Reports. The school system was having such a hard time finding foreign language teachers that students now simply take foreign language classes online. Science, special education and math are also difficult positions to fill.

The teacher shortage is likely to get worse, since fewer teachers are entering the profession. "A report by the Learning Policy Institute found that enrollment in teacher preparation programs fell 35 percent between 2009 and 2014, a decrease of close to 240,000 potential teachers," Hanford reports.

Rural places like McDowell County are often the first to feel the shortage. The town of Welch was once a local mecca of commerce, but coal mining jobs are down 40 percent from the town's heyday, the citizens are caught up in the opioid epidemic that's sweeping the country, and it's hard to entice teachers to move there. "Only 17 percent of students in McDowell County score proficient on state math tests, compared to 30 percent statewide. Only 8 percent are considered 'college ready' in English, math, social studies and science based on their ACT scores," Hanford reports. The teacher shortage isn't the entire cause of those figures, but it's hard to argue it's unrelated.

One problem is that there are few potential employers for a teacher's spouse, making it less attractive for a family to move there. Another problem is that most teachers like to teach where they grew up, but kids that Hanford interviewed say they will probably have to leave McDowell County when they grow up. Some already are. The population is declining as families move elsewhere, so the school system has been obliged to lay off teachers it can ill-afford to lose. The state education department bases its funding for teacher positions on population numbers. School districts can pay teachers out of local funds, but that's not an option for poor counties like McDowell.

Teachers Village is a housing development especially for teachers. (Photo by Emily Hanford)

The Learning Policy Institute recently recommended some ways to improve the teacher shortage, including increasing salaries and providing housing. McDowell officials want to increase teacher pay, but they need permission from the state legislature to do it. State legislators passed a new law in 2017 that allows counties to attract educators for "critical need and shortage" positions with a one-time financial incentive. The problem for McDowell is that that incentive has to be paid for with local funds--which it doesn't have. County officials are working on the housing problem with a housing development especially for teachers.

Officials are also hoping that a proposed four-lane highway will get greenlighted. "King Coal Highway" would run through McDowell County and connect it better with the rest of the state. It might spur renewed economic growth, but would also make for an easier commute for the nearly one-third of McDowell County teachers who live in a neighboring county.

from The Rural Blog http://ift.tt/2xN7lbB Nationwide teacher shortage hits poor, rural areas hardest - Entrepreneur Generations

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