COLOMBIA, SC (AP) – Vacancies for teachers in South Carolina have increased 26% compared to last year, according to a new study.
The findings lead advocates for teachers and public education officials to say that the coronavirus pandemic is worsening teacher shortages in the state.
The state newspaper reports that school districts accounted for 699 vacancies for teachers and service positions at the beginning of this school year, compared with 555 at the beginning of the previous school year. The results come from an annual report by the Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement Center.
Education officials say vacancies can lead to larger classes, more classes taught by long-term substitutes and some specialized classes not being offered. Proponents also say that the exodus of teachers could spell trouble for the recruitment and retention of teachers in the state in the long run.
“The pandemic has intensified the teacher crisis in our state, as evidenced by the released report,” said the state’s Superintendent of Education, Molly Spearman, in a statement. “Now is the time for state and local leaders to come together for current and future educators, supporting financial incentives, policies and programs that will help ensure that we have a strong, high-quality teacher workforce serving our students for years to come. “
In a recent budget request, the state Department of Education asked nearly $ 52 million for teacher salary increases and another $ 50 million to reinstate the annual increases suspended by the pandemic. The starting salary for a South Carolina public school teacher is $ 35,000.