Teacher shortage hitting schools

Just one week before school was set to open in Chicago, for example, Catholic schools there had 195 teacher openings, said Sister Carol Cimino, SSJ, executive director of the Catholic School Administrators Association of New York State.

In the Albany Diocese, there have been challenges as well. Sister Katherine Arseneau, CSJ, principal of Catholic Central High School in Troy, said, "My experience has been that this has been the worst summer for finding teachers."

Empty pool

This year, she had to place an ad, but response wasn't overwhelming: One person responded for a math opening, two for language positions, and no one for a music position.

Two factors in particular have created this teacher shortage:

* The number of school-aged children has increased with schools across the country expecting to set new enrollment records this fall, and

* Older teachers are beginning to retire in large numbers, according to the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Greatest needs

Crystal Gips, dean of the school of education at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, said that there is also a need for special education teachers. She said that across the country schools are feeling the effects of the shortage in different degrees. Rural and urban areas, as well as specialized programs like speech and language, have more of a need.

"It is a spotty shortage with the potential to get worse," she said.

Competition

When that happens, Catholic school principals have to scramble. Often, the principal will teach, allowing time for a proper search for candidates. Substitute and retired teachers have also been hired.

Thomas Fitzgerald, assistant superintendent for administrative services for the diocesan Catholic School Office, said Catholic school teachers are particularly attractive to public schools.

"Public schools look for teachers with experience," he said. "People in our schools have that experience, so the public school can hire from the Catholic school without worry."

Despite this, he doesn't believe Catholic schools will be harder hit than public schools. He said that a small percentage of Catholic school teachers are attracted to the higher-salaried public school jobs while "the majority are dedicated to Catholic schools."

Advantages

"We have an appeal," she said. "Young [teachers] are idealistic and generous. They want to play out this vision of creating a better world," and teaching in a Catholic school allows them to live out their faith commitment and their values.

"What inspired vocations in the 1950s and '60s must inspire the teaching vocation in the '90s," Sister Carol said. "Catholic school teachers are the new religious."

Recruiting

The Albany diocesan Catholic School Office will be present at job fairs and contacting Saint Rose and Siena College in Loudonville, Dr. Fitzgerald said. The School Office is also working with two Catholic organizations that have programs to place recent college graduates in teaching positions in Catholic schools while they work on their master's degrees.

There other creative strategies, Dr. Fitzgerald said. People who are interested in a second career or who retired early may be interested in teaching in Catholic schools. The School Office will be working with local colleges to develop programs that help people prepare for a second career as a Catholic school teacher.

Teacher supply

Dr. Gips agreed, saying, "The profession itself is not providing a service because they don't encourage others. [Teachers should] talk to others and present it as a desirable career."

One of the greatest barriers to recruiting new teachers is the image of the profession, Dr. Gips said. Currently, teachers move up the salary scale based on the number of years they have worked rather than on performance. People also don't understand that teachers are working even when children aren't in the classroom. Although the school day may end at 2:30 p.m., a teacher's work day continues with planning, meetings, correcting assignments and other duties.

"Teachers would have much more status if they worked eight to five," she said. "The public would look at it and understand."

Good career

"There are interesting things happening in curriculum," Dr. Gips said, "like applied learning that links the school to the world."

Teaching in a Catholic school has its own benefits. While salaries have lagged behind those in public schools, Sister Carol cited other benefits: Catholic school teachers have parental support, high standards and the ability to impart their faith. And teachers in Catholic schools don't have the same limitations as public school teachers might.

"In Catholic schools, we set our own agenda," Sister Carol said. "We don't sway to society."

(09-02-99) [[In-content Ad]]