Monterey recruiting teachers to fill shortage
“So I’m just ready to go in there and do my thing and hopefully get hired,” said applicant Stephanie Owens.
A recruitment fair served as a one stop shop to fill much needed teaching positions in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.
“Edjoin.org and online websites are great, but this is an excellent way to get a little more acquainted with the people,” said candidate Nic Garison.
While MPUSD is trying to replace about 10 percent of its staff that’s retiring or switching careers, the competition for teachers is tough.
Schools beyond the Central Coast are also scrambling to fill jobs.
“Over the last 10 years, a 30 percent reduction in people entering the teaching credential program,” said MPUSD superintendent Dr. Daniel PK Diffenbaugh.
Educators believe there are a lot of reasons contributing tothe teacher shortage.
Everything from long days, children’s behavior in the classroom to the lengthy process of getting certified.
“Oftentimes the jobs do not pay as well as other options you can go on in life,” said Garison.
Besides better pay and more support, the solution, some say, must include making the teaching profession more dynamic and appealing to millennials.
“What we’re trying to do is create a career ladder for teachers where they can be academic coaches, they can be curriculum specialists,” said Diffenbaugh.
MPUSD recently approved an incentive to get more teachers on board.
“We’ll pay for a candidates education through they’re teaching credential program in exchange for a commitment to be in our district for a minimum of five years,” said Diffenbaugh.
Some educators believe that attracting more people to the profession might also takechanging the narrative about the job.
“If we start hearing the positives about what’s happening in schools and in classrooms, I think people would really be more interested about coming into the profession,” said Seaside Middle School principal Manuel Nunez.
Teachers for special education, science and math are the most in demand.
