Warrick County, Indiana schools filled 48 teaching positions this year. The district about 30 miles northwest of Owensboro, Kentucky is now fully staffed for the first day of school on Aug. 12.
Warrick County Schools Superintendent Brad Schneider said 19 of the 48 were resignations, with some teachers likely leaving because of changes in public education, such as the emphasis on high-stakes testing.
“In my opinion, that pendulum has swung way too far and those test scores now seem to be dictating everything we do," said Schnieder. "As educators we know that’s not what’s best for kids. They also need to know problem solving skills. They need to know how to work with others, resolve problems, think outside the box, be creative.”
Schneider said one concern in Indiana is the elimination of a salary scale, which guaranteed incremental raises for teachers.
“It is getting to be more and more challenging to find qualified teachers," he said. "Universities that we typically receive teachers from in southern Indiana, southern Illinois and western Kentucky have all reported substantial drops in enrollment numbers in their schools of education.” .
The teacher shortage was the focus of an Aug. 9 article in the New York Times, which noted that Louisville and Nashville are among large urban school districts having trouble finding teachers.
The Times said the teaching profession is losing ground as college students choose more glamorous, and better paying professions, like technology.