New York State Is Facing A Teacher Shortage

There is a teacher shortage in the state of New York for various reasons, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation much worse.

According to MyTwinTiers, School districts throughout the state of New York have been having a difficult time finding dedicated teachers to fill their classrooms.

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Colleges throughout the state have seen a decrease of 50% in students enrolling in their teacher education programs since 2009.

According to Laura Franz, an Albany High School teacher, and President of APSTA, teachers are leaving the profession for various reasons. She says that teachers have been given a bad reputation over time and they are leaving because of the pressures of additional duties that are required to fulfill their position. Teachers feel the pressure of the increase in mandated testing, and data collection.

When we factor in the COVID19 pandemic, teachers have been given a Herculean task of trying to educate students both virtually and in person.

COVID-19 is having a drastic effect on students who need to fulfill student-teacher requirements. COVID-19 safety protocol is making it very difficult for student teachers to get into the classroom and meet the requirements necessary to become a teacher.

According to New York State United Teachers, about 1/3 of the teaching population is eligible now, or soon will be eligible, for retirement.

I’m certain that many teachers are tempted to just retire now and eliminate the stress they are experiencing in the classroom. The teacher shortage must be corrected immediately for students to be able to enter the classroom safely.

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