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Meleah Sanders

February 22, 2017

English 2010

Louise Bown

Teacher Shortage in Utah

Students across America are being packed into classrooms like sardines

because educators are sparse. The high demand for teachers is leading to quick, non-

permanent solutions that are worsening the already negative perceptions people

unintentionally have towards teachers. Specifically, in 2016 just months before school

was about to start there were about 800-900 school teaching positions that remained

empty even up to the first day of school in schools statewide in Utah (Monsen 1). Across

the United States teacher shortages are becoming a major concern. Americans today

tend to believe that teachers are not necessary in todays world but it is causing

problems for students around the country to be caught in this shortage. There are less

college students in teaching programs and many established teachers are beginning to

retire leaving teaching positions to be filled. Specifically in Utah, enrollments continue to

rise and the amount of teachers taking positions here in the state has not. This

significant lack of teachers in the state of Utah has been the effect of education

graduates who leave their professions due to low income, negative perception, and high

expectations and now school districts are forced to discover new approaches in filling

educator positions in Utah schools.

Within five years 2 out of 5 Utah teachers leave their profession. State officials

are trying to find the reasons, and possible solutions, behind why teachers are not
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remaining in their positions (Strauss 1). Although its not just one thing a possible

reason to this teacher shortage is the low income teachers earn in Utah (Rogers 1).

Many articles have stated that the average salary in Utah was about $30,000 however

there are resources that state some teachers making up to about $50,000-$60,000. The

most likely cause of these higher salaries are levels and years of experience that

increase certain teachers salaries. However it would seem that new teachers are not

staying long enough to begin earning that much. When looking for teaching positions

potential employees, new graduates and mature teachers, will shop around [which]

leaves openings elsewhere (qtd in Rogers 1). At the beginning of the school year,

Granite School District began to offer cash bonuses to new hires around $500, which

doesnt seem like a lot but when many new teachers already have to grapple with a

lower income this offer can be more enticing than schools that do not offer these type of

benefits (Knox 2). These schools understand that this is not a long term solution to the

bigger problem but the need for teachers has caused seemingly quick fixes.

Another factor connected to low income is the difference between what an

average bachelors degree graduate earns right out of college versus a graduate in

education; the difference is about $20,000 (Chen 2). As a result this becomes a

persuading factor for students when considering different majors in college. Colleges

across the state have seen a downturn in college students in education programs. A

decade ago, 282 undergraduate students left the university with a Bachelors degree in

Education. That number has dropped 10 percent (Vaifanua 1). Some of the program

directors have speculated that the rigorous licensing requirements are part of the

reason for this deficit of applicants to education programs.

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To solve this problem state officials passed an act that allowed bachelors degree

graduate students to pay the applicable licensing fee and pass a test so that schools

can fill those teaching vacancies (Strauss 1). What seemed like a good route in creating

potential teachers has actually caused a dilemma among senior working teachers and

the issues of teaching requirements. In Valerie Strausss article, In Utah, schools now

can hire teachers with no training whatsoever she highlights a hearing that education

officials held in regards to this new policy,

Lincoln Elementary School science teacher Cara Baldree described the

policy as absolutely demoralizing and insulting by implying that

knowledge in a subject area makes a person an automatic teacher. Just

because you comprehend third-grade math doesnt mean you can teach

third-grade math, she said. (1).

Education officials believe that the changes in requirements are necessary and

they dont mean to offend working teachers (Strauss 1). Despite the new policy and the

reasons for it, professional teachers have been the targets of criticism towards their

professional careers (Editorial 1). Part of the negative perception that teachers face in

regards to their career comes from blaming [teachers] for the failings of their students

scores in their standardized tests (Editorial 2). It is because of these high expectations,

and also other problems, that surround this career field veteran and potential teachers

choose to leave or take different career paths (Rogers 2). In recent discussions of

respect towards teachers and their professions, an issue to be recognized is the

connections between low morale and the financial situations that prospective teachers

undergo and how many believe that the two are connected (Burningham 2).
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Change in the education field, and how teaching has changed due to new

technology, has caused teachers to have a lot more responsibility than before (Duncan

1). But as you can see in Figure 1, it is important for students to have access to a

teacher and are more engaged when a teacher is present and they are in a safe

learning environment. There will never be a silicone substitute for a flesh-and-blood

teacher helping young people to grasp the increasingly complicated concepts that will

be necessary to survive in the years to come (Editorial 1). There are educators who

believe their profession is the one of the hardest, but maybe yet the most rewarding

(Duncan 1).

Fig 1. Inside a local Utah classroom. August 25. 2010, Dallof.

While researchers continue to look for the underlying problems and reasons

behind this education crisis there are those who need to begin finding solutions, short-

term and long-term. The benefits of teaching and teachers are immense and varied but

the education and guidance received is what can be most valued in the world today. The

connection between teachers and education is a subject to be considered in mending

the issues of Utahs teacher shortage. If we don't value teachers, that's saying we don't
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value our education (qtd in Rogers 2). In Arne Duncans feature on Linkedin titled Why

Teaching is the Most Important Profession she insists,

Now, at a time when educators are courageously raising the bar for

student achievement higher than ever before, the job of the American

teacher has never been more critical to the success of our children and to

the prosperity of our nation Teachers are our nation buildersthe

strength of every profession in our country grows out of the knowledge

and skills that teachers help to instill in our children (1).

Ultimately what is at stake here is quality of education that our children and

students are receiving and using in real world situations. Utah is facing the largest

teacher shortage it has ever seen and the problems behind it are just as difficult as the

problems that arise in effect of these crossroads. The place to begin in order to begin

repairing the situation is to start respecting our nation builders and give them the trust

of parents, citizens, and students alike in order to continue educating the leaders,

entrepreneurs, and minds of tomorrow.

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Works Cited

Burningham, Kim. "How Serious is the Teacher Shortage?" Utahpolicy.com. N.p.,

15 June 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Chen, Daphne. "Report: Salaries just 'part of the solution' for Utah's teacher

shortage." DeseretNews.com. Deseret News, 20 Oct. 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Duncan, Arne. "Why Teaching is the Most Important Profession." Linked In. N.p., 20 July

2015. Web. 5 Mar. 2017.

"Editorial: Utah teacher shortage reflects lack of respect." The Salt Lake Tribune. N.p.,

10 Feb. 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Knox, Annie. "One answer to Utah's teacher shortage -- hire people who aren't

teachers." The Salt Lake Tribune. N.p., 14 June 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Monsen, Ali. "Major teacher shortage causing big problems for 2016-2017 school year."

GOOD4UTAH. N.p., 25 May 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Rogers-Whitehead, Carrie. "Making sense of Utah's teacher shortage." KSL. N.p., 4

Mar. 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Strauss, Valerie. "In Utah, schools can now hire teachers with no training

whatsoever." The Washington Post. WP Company, 15 Aug. 2016. Web. 21 Feb.

2017.

Vaifanua, Tamara. "Lack of interest in the profession of teaching leads to major

shortage in Utah schools." Fox13now.com. N.p., 08 Feb. 2016. Web. 21 Feb.

2017.