There is a shortfall of approximately 37,569 unfilled teacher positions nationally in the United States. The significant teacher storage varies from state to state, by district, grade level, and specialty. School districts need help finding qualified teachers and there is no more qualified to find the right person for the job than a recruiter that is looking to specialize in education. In this article we will look at disciplines that are in the highest need, why do we have this problem, and how we can help fill these job titles.
Where is the problem most severe?
The teaching disciplines which are experiencing the highest levels of shortage are summarized here:
Teaching Discipline Shortage Level Comments
Special Education Very High Persistent Nationally
Mathematics Very High Middle School and High School
Science Very High Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
Elementary High in many areas Many Positions Open Nationally
Career & Technical High High Demand in Trades, Manufacturing, Technology, Health
ESL / Bilingual High Big Problem in Growing Areas
Foreign Language High Difficult to Find Candidates
Average teacher annual salaries vary widely by location and by discipline and can range from about $55,000 to about $104,000. The states with the most difficult teacher staffing challenges include Arizona, Nevada, Mississippi, Florida, California, and Texas.
Why is this happening?
Attrition accounts for the bulk of the shortfall in teacher availability. Again citing the Learning Policy Institute, we note that attrition accounts for roughly 90% of annual teacher demand. Further, the Institute reports that fewer than one-fifth of teachers who leave the profession do so because they retire. Other reasons include compensation, working conditions, dissatisfaction, and moving into other careers.
If you saw my recent article concerning the boom in the skilled trades you will understand the tremendous pressure on industry to staff for the renaissance which seems to be happening. This pressure then lands on the educational system, challenging it to find the needed Career & Technical people needed to train the next wave of skilled workers. This same pressure applies to the other teaching disciplines in varying degrees.
What Can Recruiters Do?
Based on the above information, recruiters can focus on the teaching disciplines which are the hardest to fill and develop relationships with educational institutions to learn their specific needs. As in most jobs, many factors come into play: compensation, working conditions, location, life-work balance issues, and the like. Many institutions will utilize recruiters to match people up with open positions, just as in industry. Both direct-hire and contract hire methods are employed.
It may be necessary to contact the institution’s procurement or purchasing department since registration as a vendor is likely to be required. The recruiter may also have to actively recruit candidates, verify candidate certifications, provide background screening, and check references. As in other placements, a conversion fee agreement should be in place for contract placements.
My own belief is that Career & Technical people represent possible low-hanging fruit because of the renaissance in the manufacturing, power grid, and data center sectors of the economy. There are likely many retired or about-to-retire engineers, electricians, plumbers, and other skilled tradesmen who may be lured back into the workforce with a teaching assignment at a trade school. It is difficult for these skilled people to not want to stay active, mentor the next wave of younger professionals, and share their knowledge and expertise!
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