GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A long list of vacancies with various departments in need of positions filled has become a far too common sight for many school districts. However, what do the Triad’s vacancies look like?
These job openings include all types of teachers, ranging from full-time and part-time to teaching assistants: The Alamance-Burlington School System is leading with 145 vacancies listed online. Davidson County Schools has 57, and Rockingham County Schools has 67. Closer to home, Guilford County Schools reports having 40 vacancies. GCS filled more than 40 openings with a job fair last week. Further west, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is short around 70 teachers, but the district is focusing on the positive side.
“We're excited that we're 97% filled, which is close to pre-pandemic staffing levels,” said Chris Weikart from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. “However, we do have concerns, particularly in the area of exceptional children teachers. We are worried about the vacancies, but we've reached 97% through multiple efforts, especially focusing on retention."
Statewide, the situation is more challenging. North Carolina is facing a shortage of 6,000 educators. Teacher advocacy groups attribute this shortfall to a combination of factors, including lower pay, increased demand, and heightened job stress. This shortage is also negatively impacting student learning across the state.
“Smaller class sizes are necessary to give students one-on-one academic attention so that they continue to grow and thrive,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators. “But when you see class sizes ballooning past 25, past 30, up to 40 students in a classroom, it does impact a child's learning experience."
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools started classes on Monday. Guilford County and several other area school districts will open their classroom doors on August 26.
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