When a new school year began in August, students in four classes were greeted by a new teacher. The human resources department had worked on through the summer to attract new teachers. Staff members made out-of-state recruiting trips. The district revised its website and asked residents to tap their families and friends for job candidates. "We were leaving no stone unturned," said Dave, assistant of human resources. Still, when the bell rang on the first day of class, they fell four teachers short.
After years of hiring freezes, school in the U.S. are in urgent need of more qualified teachers. In California, which educates more children than any state, the number of teaching certificates issued has dropped by half in the past decade. The state's school districts estimate they will need 21,000 new teachers annually over the next five years.
School administrators and academic researchers point to a variety of reasons for the shortages. During the past years, many districts shed jobs and new graduates and professionals looking for work outside their field. Debate over testing and lowest performing schools has circled back to teachers. People go to higher paying jobs, jobs that are more respected. Elena Avila, 24, a first-time kindergarten teacher at Union Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, said she had wanted to be a teacher since an early age, but began to doubt the decision as she got older. She got a degree in classical studies and volunteered before making up her mind.
To fill their vacancies, districts are trying everything to attract new teachers. The Fresno Unified School District in California's San Joaquin Valley has begun advertising openings at movie theaters. At Sierra Sands Unified, half of the new employees are not fully certified; they're working toward alternative certifications while they teach. It wasn't until three weeks into the school year that all the vacancies were filled. For the four newest teachers, there was no time to prepare, only dive in. "They're going and hitting the ground running," Ostash said.
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