She emphasized that Arizona continues to rank 50th in the nation for teacher salaries, even after a 20% pay increase.
And the teacher shortage is not getting better. Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools Tim Carter told Quad Citis Business News that at the first of this month, Yavapai County schools had 48 unfilled vacancies. Statewide, the number was 1,790, not counting the charter and private schools.
“I see things getting worse in the short term because of COVID,” he said. “However, there are two bright spots. First, funding has improved locally a bit but will always be in comparison to neighboring schools both within and without the state in Arizona schools without overrides because a governing board is hesitant to ask or because voters simply will not approve them. Those districts continue to lag. This is a fundamental inequity in the way our schools are funded.”
Carter cited results from a study recently released by the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA) that shows that for the sixth straight year, the teacher shortage is continuing in Arizona. Carter highlighted data provided by Becky O’Banion, a grant writer for the Yavapai County Education Service Agency (YCESA).
About 25.9 % of teacher vacancies across the state this year remained unfilled.
About 55.4 % of existing vacancies filled have been filled by teachers who do not meet the state’s standard teacher certification requirements.
Since 2016, when the school years started, at least 25 % of the jobs remain unfilled at least a month into the school year.
State Superintendent of Education Kathy Hoffman has said it is no surprise that vacancies continue. She emphasized that Arizona continues to rank 50th in the nation for teacher salaries, even after a 20% pay increase.
“In the past, a positive factor has been hiring ‘homegrown’ teachers,” said Carter. “But at some point, people who are working in other occupations – banking or customer service work who have an interest in entering the education profession – will diminish, especially in small, remote rural areas.”
Justin Wing, past president of the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA), said some people would like to become teachers but have yet to earn a college education and meet required certification requirements. He noted that included college and university students who need to complete their degrees, teachers brought to Arizona from other states or countries, and even those who have come here on special visa programs.
In just the immediate area, the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) is assisting schools in find teaching and support staff. Just last week, display ads paid for by NACOG in local daily newspapers advertised positions open in Head Start Programs as teachers, teacher aides, teacher aide substitutes and similar positions in Quad Cities communities. All involve multiple benefits, including paid health, dental and visual insurance, Arizona State Retirement (ASRS), holiday pay and paid college tuition and career benefits.
Beyond that, local organizations are encouraging aspiring teachers to apply for scholarships to certified college or university education programs. For instance, the Gardner Family Teacher Scholarships Endowment will soon be distributing applications for scholarships valued at a minimum of $2,000 annually to qualified applicants in Yavapai County, according to Danny Brown and Tara O’Neil, co-presidents for the non-profit organization.
Additionally, the Yavapai County Education Foundation (YCEF), in cooperation with a local auto dealer, partnered to give a cumulative $10,000 to 20 Yavapai County teachers drawn from a pool nominated within the county. Michael Ellegood, YCEF president, worked with Findlay Subaru Prescott General Manager David “Mac” Macfarlane, in publicizing the opportunity and selecting recipients. QCBN
By Ray Newton, QCBN
