School districts nationwide are struggling to meet student needs with a teacher shortage made worse by COVID.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports the number of vacant positions or those held by unqualified personnel is more than 3,500.

Economists point to the teacher wage gap where teacher pay is calculated against similarly educated, similar-age peers.

Economic Policy Institute research says in 1979 teachers made 7% less than similarly educated peers, but in 2022 that pay gap has grown to 23% - a record high.

Citing 300,000 public education vacancies nationwide, EPI president Heidi Shierholz said the issue boils down to two factors.

"What's happening," said Shierholz, "is that it's becoming more and more difficult to find teachers and other education personnel who will take those jobs under current working conditions and at current wages."

In addition to schools having to do more work with fewer people, teacher turnover is expensive - with recruitment, hiring, and training estimated to cost between $9,000 and $21,000 per teacher.

The teacher shortage has been growing for years prior to COVID, as the completion rate in Missouri teacher preparation programs both alternative and traditional has declined by 31% since 2012.

The American Federation of Teachers released a report in July that outlined policies to fix the teacher shortage.

The recommendations include reducing the focus on standardized testing, reducing paperwork, lowering class size, in addition to providing living wages for teachers and paraprofessionals.

AFT President Randi Weingarten said while the profession was never well paid, the joys of teaching once outweighed the negatives.

"What we used to have," said Weingarten, "is a lot more intrinsic joy about teaching and learning, and a lot of that changed in the no child left behind, no test was bad kind of process, that made us fixating on tests as opposed to fixating on children."

The Learning Policy Institute reports that in Finland and Singapore around 4% of teachers leave the profession annually - mainly to retire - while the teacher attrition rate in the U.S. is about 8% per year, with two thirds leaving for reasons other than retirement.

The report says the teacher attrition rate was around 5% in the 1990s.

The Massachusetts state budget has been finalized and public education leaders say students came out on top.

More than $1 billion generated by the state's "millionaire's tax" allowed for increased per-student funding for districts, greater literacy education and most notably, free community college for all students.

Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, called it an important step toward providing quality, debt-free, higher education for all.

"We can tell a fifth grader, 'You can go on to college. You will not have to pay tuition and fees,'" Page emphasized. "That's a crucial statement to those students and their families that this is truly affordable."

Page noted educators were essential to passage of the Fair Share Amendment, which allows for a 4% surtax on income of more than $1 million, to pay for public education and transportation. Massachusetts has some of the highest education costs in the country.

Students do better in school when they have teachers they can relate to. The budget continues to fund the Tomorrow's Teachers program, which aims to increase and diversify the educator workforce with scholarships up to $25,000 per year toward college tuition.

Page pointed out it also includes $170 million to guarantee access to free school meals for every student.

"It's an amazing investment," Page stressed. "It's made possible by these Fair Share monies and it will not only be good for the health of these students, it's also good for their education. Hungry kids are not able to learn."

Page added because the Legislature vastly underestimated just how much the Fair Share Amendment would raise, lawmakers will have an additional billion dollars to spend on one-time investments in the fall. He would like to see improvements to college campus infrastructure across the Commonwealth and a pay raise for faculty and staff.

A new $23 billion education budget plan in Michigan is opening the door for recent high school graduates to attend a community or tribal college, tuition-free. The "Michigan Achievement Scholarship, Community College Guarantee" was signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in July - and is expected to save over 18,000 students almost $5,000 each year.

Michelle Richard, deputy director for higher education with the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential, said this new education initiative is a real game-changer for every high school student in the state.

"So if you graduated the class of 2024, or the class of 2023, you are still eligible to enroll this fall at your local community college and attend tuition free," she said.

Students who qualify for the federal Pell Grant can get an extra $1,000 from the state to help with additional college costs like books and supplies.

Richard stressed that if a student wants to start community college this fall, they need to complete the free application for federal student aid on the MiLEAP website.

Those 21 years old or older can also take advantage of the tuition free option. Richard said $52 million is available in a program called "Michigan Reconnect," designed for older students.

"If you are in the workforce and you're thinking about making a change, Michigan Reconnect offers a tuition free pathway to earn that skills certificate or degree at your local community college - and same application," she added.

The state of Michigan has also established the "Sixty by 30 Goal" aiming for at least 60% of Michiganders to obtain a degree or skill certificate by 2030.


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A new school year is still several weeks away but North Dakota voters are being asked to study up on the state's K-12 system and the candidates running to lead it.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is one of several statewide offices up for grabs this fall. Longtime incumbent Kirsten Baesler is seeking reelection, with former state lawmaker Jason Heitkamp looking to unseat her. A candidate from the June primary, who had been pushing for Christian-based curriculum in public schools, failed to advance.

Chris Clark, assistant professor of teaching, leadership, and professional practice at the University of North Dakota, said it is eye-opening to see wedge issues find their way into such races.

"That is interesting to me, that it has gotten to the level where state education policy is being impacted," Clark observed. "And it's not just local schools having the authority to reject certain textbooks."

While the candidate viewed as having an extreme platform is no longer in the race, Clark pointed out they were backed by the state Republican Party. He suggested it means some GOP lawmakers might have an appetite for similar school mandates, which the winner would be asked to implement. Clark encouraged voters to research the remaining candidates about what they would do to support students and teachers.

Despite national trends of divisive candidates seeking spots on school boards and in leadership posts, Clark feels North Dakota voters are not over-the-top in embracing the movement. Still, challenger Jason Heitkamp supports eliminating property taxes as a school funding source, which is a possible ballot question this fall. Clark stressed those are positions to which voters should pay attention.

"Eliminating local property taxes, while that might be very popular, also seems just like a way to cut school funding," Clark asserted. "I think the prospect of further funding cuts, I think, are going to negatively impact a lot of communities across the state."

For his part, Heitkamp said he wants to ensure the state would fully fund K-12 schools and teachers are paid accordingly. The incumbent Baesler does not back the property tax change but said she would push for stronger teacher pay without the need for higher taxes.


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