RALEIGH, N.C. — Thousands of students who return to their classrooms for the new school year on Monday won't have permanent teachers leading their classes.
Teacher vacancies are plaguing classrooms across the country, leaving many classrooms in disarray after two years of what many described as chaos during the coronavirus pandemic.
Among teachers and school staff, vacancies were about 27% higher than last year. Vacancies among teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade have increased by 65% in North Carolina this year compared with last year, according to data from the North Carolina School Superintendents' Association.
Some North Carolina lawmakers say that the state needs to step up and help fill those vacancies.
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