Thread by @NBCLX

School districts around the country are dealing with a teacher shortage. That means there aren’t enough certified teachers to fill open roles. Here’s why it’s happening. on.LX.com/BWHs4ym #BackToSchool @AsToldByJalyn

This isn’t a direct result of the pandemic. People who study these kinds of trends say they started to notice an increase in open teaching positions more than a decade ago. on.LX.com/BWHs4ym @AsToldByJalyn #BacktoSchool2022

“Nine out of 10 positions that need to be filled are to replace someone who has left. Most of the teachers who leave are not leaving for retirement, they're actually leaving mid-career,” said Desiree Carver-Thomas, researcher and policy analyst at the @LPI_Learning

So why are teachers leaving? Well, that’s an "all of the above" type of answer. Pay, respect and administration support are just a few of the cited reasons. on.LX.com/BWHs4ym @LPI_Learning @AsToldByJalyn #BackToSchool #teacherlife

“I just knew it was time. I needed to step back before I resented it, and I didn't want to get to that point. This shortage really widened my eyes to what’s really going on and it’s very sad because it’s the students that will suffer the most,” former teacher Amber Alton said.

To combat the shortage, some states are doing whatever they can to fill the gaps. In Arizona, public school teachers no longer need a degree to teach and some school districts in Texas moved to 4-day work weeks. on.LX.com/BWHs4ym @AsToldByJalyn @LPI_Learning #BackToSchool

You can watch the full story from LX News storyteller @AsToldByJalyn by clicking here. on.LX.com/BWHs4ym