1 week Ago
Virginia must intensify efforts to attract and keep more competent teachers in our public schools. Our children’s futures depend on quality education that meets each child’s needs.So does the future of the workforce, the economy and the strength of our communities.
Unfortunately, the shortage of teachers that followed the disruptions of the pandemic drags on. Before COVID-19 hit five years ago, Virginia had dealt for years with a teacher vacancy rate of 1% or lower.Understandably, many teachers left the profession during the days of school closures and remote learning.
A lot of them found more attractive options and have not returned.Meanwhile, the teaching profession is not as attractive as it once was, back in the days when educated women had fewer choices.The pay is low compared to that in many other professions, especially considering the cost of the necessary education and preparation.
The Virginia Education Association reports that commonwealth educators are paid, on average, about 67 cents for each dollar paid to people in professions with comparable education requirements.Even though Virginia is one of the wealthier states, its teacher pay, with the average salary about $65,000 a year, is estimated to be more than $6,000 below the national averageThe current political climate — with public schools often in the crosshairs of controversies over what and how to teach and hot-button cultural issues such as gender identification — hasn’t helped. Student discipline remains a serious concern that has forced teachers from the profession.
All these factors take their toll. This school year, the statewide vacancy rate is 3.4%, a slight improvement from the 3.
9% of the preceding two years. The percentage translates into the equivalent of about 3,200 teachers missing from classrooms across the state. Elementary education fares worst, with special education and middle school teachers not far behind.
The rate is higher in lower-income areas.Meanwhile, the learning gaps that started during the pandemic continue in Virginia and in some cases are growing worse, when measured against the test scores of Virginia students before the pandemic and the current scores of students in other states.State and local officials have been trying various approaches to fill the gaps.
Lawmakers raised salaries by 3% before the current school year began, and they also have made it easier for temporary teachers to stay in the classroom.An executive order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin in September 2022 offered several strategies to address the teacher shortage, including targeting hiring incentives and retention bonuses toward school divisions with the greatest need.
Progress has been made in such areas as streamlining the state’s licensing procedures and making it easier for teachers licensed in other states and retired teachers to become licensed. The licensing application process is now 100% online.Starting in the 2023-24 school year, increasing numbers of Virginia school divisions have started Grow Your Own registered teacher apprenticeship programs to recruit and train people from within their community.
The state is also doing more to encourage and help high school students who aspire to become teachers, as well as to recruit and prepare military veterans and people who want to move from other careers into teaching.School divisions are also encouraged to pursue opportunities to support child care operations within schools, for the benefit of teachers as well as local parents.Sign up for Viewpoints, an opinion newsletterThese and other initiatives should make some difference, and state and local officials should continue to think creatively about how to attract and retain classroom teachers.
Raising teacher pay to be more competitive with that of other states and other professions must continue to be a key part of persuading people to enter the teaching profession and stick with it.Better teacher pay and incentives must be a top priority in the state budgets.Attracting and keeping good teachers is essential immediately for today’s children, and doing so is essential in the longer run for the overall future of the commonwealth.
.
