Mississippi News
Teacher shortage: Mississippi lacks 3,000 certified teachers
Teacher shortage: Mississippi lacks 3,000 certified teachers
The Mississippi Department of Education says there are 3,036 certified teacher vacancies across the state — a staggering figure that shows the extent of the state's long-standing teacher shortage.
Mississippi Today has reported several times since 2019 that state officials had never tracked data regarding the state's critical teacher shortage. The release of the new data last week by MDE marks the first time the generational problem has been comprehensively tracked by state officials.
The vacancies were reported by every school district across the state, and state officials said the 3,036 figure includes both positions that remain completely vacant and positions currently held by teachers who are not certified. There are currently about 32,000 total teachers across the state.
“This is perhaps one of the most comprehensive pictures we have ever had of teacher shortages,” Courtney Van Cleve, MDE director of educator talent acquisition and effectiveness, said when presenting the data to the State Board of Education on Dec. 16.
The largest number of vacancies is at the elementary level, with 958 vacancies. High school teachers come in at a close second of 881 vacancies. The remaining 1,200 vacancies were among middle school teachers and music/arts/special education.
The survey also measured vacancies in support staff and administration. When adding these vacancies with the teaching positions, the overall total of vacancies across Mississippi is 5,503. The largest categories of vacancies among support staff were teachers assistants, bus drivers and food service staff.
The survey was fielded in September 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year and had 100% district participation.
“Looking at many of your faces, I'll acknowledge that (these) numbers can feel daunting,” Van Cleve told the board. “It can even feel disheartening. And yet we're really encouraged. We're encouraged in the office of teaching and leading that a number of the strategies we have in place are indeed targeting some of the highest areas of need statewide.”
Van Cleve then highlighted two programs, the Mississippi Teacher Residency and the Performance Based Licensure Pilot, which seek to facilitate the process of fully certifying a teacher for the classroom and attract and retain more teachers. Early data from MDE showed that both programs were helping teachers successfully overcome barriers.
When Angela Bass, a member of the State Board of Education, asked how this teacher shortage compared to previous years, Van Cleve explained that this is the first time the Department of Education has had this level of data, meaning there's no benchmark to compare it to.
Teacher vacancies were also presented by congressional district. The largest portion of the vacancies exist in the 3rd Congressional District, with 1,274. The 1st Congressional District had the lowest number at 276.
Lawmakers have said they plan to address the issue of Mississippi's lowest-in-the-nation teacher pay — a major contributing factor to the state's teacher shortage — when they return to the Capitol in January 2022.
ANALYSIS: Teacher pay remains an afterthought despite once-in-a-lifetime financial opportunity
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
East Webster baseball looks to bring home fourth state championship
SUMMARY: East Webster baseball team advanced to the 3A state championship after dominating the playoffs, outscoring opponents 97-17 and not playing a single game three. They will face West Marion in a best-of-three series at Trustmark Park, with game one on Tuesday and game two on Thursday. A win would give the Wolverines their fourth state title. Senior shortstop Briceton Johnson expressed how they have been working towards this goal since junior high. The final challenge is set for Saturday, if necessary, as the team aims to achieve their dream of winning the state championship.
The post East Webster baseball looks to bring home fourth state championship appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
3rd-grade state reading assessment passing numbers hold steady
SUMMARY: The Mississippi Department of Education reported that 75.7% of third graders passed the state reading assessment on the first try, a slight decrease from the previous year's 76.3% pass rate. In the Monroe County School District, 92.4% of third graders passed on the first attempt, the second highest percentage in the state, while the Baldwyn School District had the lowest pass rate at 45.8%. Students who did not pass were given a second test in February, with a second retest scheduled for June. For updates, follow the Mississippi Department of Education on Facebook.
The post 3rd-grade state reading assessment passing numbers hold steady appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Mississippi inmate accused of identity theft, wire fraud
SUMMARY: State Auditor Shad White announced the first indictment associated with Operation Payback, involving over half a billion dollars in illegal unemployment compensation payments during COVID. Kenjarell Thomas from Jackson was served with a 59 count indictment related to identity theft, fraudulent representation, and wire fraud. Thomas allegedly applied for unemployment benefits while in prison, using multiple prisoners' personal information and his mother's address to receive payments. Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor's office online or by phone.
The post Mississippi inmate accused of identity theft, wire fraud appeared first on www.wjtv.com
-
SuperTalk FM4 days ago
Martin Lawrence making 3 stops in Mississippi on comedy tour
-
Our Mississippi Home2 days ago
Beat the Heat with Mississippi’s Best Waterparks
-
Mississippi Today6 days ago
Lawmakers may have to return to Capitol May 14 to override Gov. Tate Reeves’ potential vetoes
-
Our Mississippi Home3 days ago
Charlie’s U-Pik: Opening Soon for the Summer Season
-
Mississippi News Video5 days ago
Local dentists offer free dental care in Amory
-
Mississippi News6 days ago
Bond set for West Point couple accused of killing their child
-
Kaiser Health News3 days ago
Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Decried as Biased Against Disabled People
-
Mississippi News Video2 days ago
Jackson has a gang problem