CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — With just weeks before the new school year starts, many districts across the Carolinas are still struggling to fill open teaching positions.
This is especially true for rural districts, which are facing a teacher shortage that partly stems from a post-pandemic exodus of teachers nationwide.
In Catawba County Schools, for example, there are still 25 teaching positions that need to be filled before the start of the school year.
"When you look at it on on the surface, it doesn't seem that bad," Fred Whalen, director of personnel development for Catawba County Schools, said. "But you know, 25 teachers out of 28, schools, it's still pretty significant."
Whalen said the value of a qualified, trained teacher in the classroom can't be stressed enough.
"Obviously, you want every teacher to be highly qualified in the classroom, which means that they've got that background in whatever they're teaching, they've got a full license," Whalen said.
Walen said a district the size of his is using a variety of creative methods to recruit teachers, including offering alternative certification and training programs.
If you have a bachelor's degree, North Carolina makes it possible for you to step into a classroom.
“We can have teachers that may major in a certain subject, but end up coming to us, like they majored in science and did not have an education background," Whalen said. "But they can still come to us and be a teacher, be a chemistry or biology teacher based on those degrees."
York School District 1 in South Carolina describe recruiting season as year-round for their rural school district.
The district's director of human resources, Jennifer Bolin, said that the district relies heavily on word-of-mouth to recruit teachers.
"They're telling their friends, we're a wonderful place to work, come join us," Bolin said.
The district has about five open instructional, teaching positions.
"I think we're gonna be in really good shape for the school year to start," Bolin said.
She said that the district's small-town atmosphere and affordable cost of living are two of its biggest selling points.
"Us being a small family and oriented family atmosphere makes a difference and that is the York way," Bolin said.
Although the current rental housing market puts them in a hard spot for younger and beginner teachers.
"We don't have a lot of rentals," Bolin said. "We don't have a lot of apartments, housing, and things of that nature, but Rock Hill does. Charlotte does. So we say all the time, you know, live in those areas, but come work for us."
There are a number of factors contributing to the shortage of teachers that are not always in the control of local districts. Including low pay, political pressure on teachers, and the increasing demands of the job. Teacher pay scales are set by the state, local counties have the opportunity to supplement pay.
During the pandemic, schools used COVID-19 relief dollars to give teachers bonuses and retention pay. This money has already or is set to expire.
A 2023 report by the National Education Association showed teachers in Carolinas have some of the lowest starting salaries in the country. According to the teacher’s advocacy organization, North Carolina ranks 46th in the country for starting pay and South Carolina ranks 40th.
Faced with these outsized issues, rural districts are leaning in on their ability to foster a more personal and supportive environment than larger districts.
"Our maintenance director gave out his cell phone number in our new employee orientation to all those new employees in case they had any issues within their classroom that might need to be fixed," Bolin said. "That just does not happen in other districts."
The teacher shortage is a major challenge for rural districts, but it's not insurmountable. Whalen said by emphasizing the positives of a small district, focusing on connections, and being creative in your recruiting efforts, you can attract and retain the best teachers for your students.
"In March, we were named one of those most beautiful, most affordable places to live," Whalen said. "So I'm also trying to use that to our benefit to encourage people to apply, like people just don't know where our county is, what Hickory is. Once they get there, they you know, they end up loving it."
At Catawba County Schools, its biggest need right now is exceptional children’s teachers. Exceptional children educators make sure students have the appropriate individualized education program in the least restrictive environment. To learn more about these and other positions the district has posted you can visit their website.
York School District 1 expects to fill its open positions before the school year starts but still has open positions they encourage people to apply for online.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.