Rural schools struggling to fill teacher vacancies

From the Rural Schools following the pandemic series

Jeff DeYoung , Phyllis Coulter
Mar 10, 2023
Mar 10, 2023

Malta Bend school — In the 2022-23 educator shortage survey, almost 80% of school districts said they had unfilled vacancies starting the school year.
Photo by Benjamin Herrold

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Nearly every business or organization has a literal or virtual HELP WANTED sign hanging on its door. That also includes rural schools.

kAm“(6 ;FDE 2C6?’E 86EE:?8 E96 2AA=:42E:@?D H6 FD65 E@ 86E[” D2JD r9C:D u:?6[ DFA6C:?E6?56?E 7@C E96 {2E9C@A #\xx D49@@= 5:DEC:4E :? {2E9C@A[ |:DD@FC:] “(6 2C6 72:C=J 4=@D6 E@ E96 z2?D2D r:EJ >6EC@A@=:E2? 2C62[ D@ E96 4@>A6E:E:@? :D DEC@?8 7@C E62496CD :? @FC 2C62]”k^Am

kAmu:?6[ 2 ?2E:G6 @7 r@@? #2A:5D[ x@H2[ :D :? 9:D `aE9 J62C 2D DFA6C:?E6?56?E @7 D49@@=D 2E {2E9C@A] w6 D2JD E96 492==6?86D @7 7:?5:?8 E62496CD 3682? H6== 367@C6 E96 r~'xs\`h A2?56>:4]k^Am

kAm%96C6 H2D 2=C625J 2 D9@CE286 @7 E62496CD :? CFC2= D49@@=D[ D2JD s2G6 pC5C6J[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 pDD@4:2E:@? @7 x==:?@:D #FC2= 2?5 $>2== $49@@=D] pC5C6J 92D 366? EC24<:?8 :E 7@C 2=>@DE `_ J62CD[ 2?5 r~'xs 72E:8F6 >256 :E H@CD6[ 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmxE’D ?@E9:?8 ?6H] %96 7:CDE x==:?@:D t5F42E@C $9@CE286 rC:D:D C6A@CE H2D 4C62E65 3J E96 x==:?@:D pDD@4:2E:@? @7 #68:@? $FA6C:?E6?56?ED @7 $49@@=D :? a_`f] pE E92E E:>6[ fgT @7 DFA6C:?E6?56?ED D2:5 E96J 925 D@>6 AC@3=6>D 7:?5:?8 E62496CD] |@C6 E92? 92=7 D2:5 E96J 925 “D6C:@FD AC@3=6>D” 9:C:?8 DF3DE:EFE6D[ H:E9 CFC2= D49@@=D 92G:?8 >@C6 492==6?86D :? 3@E9 2C62D]k^Am

kAm#646?E 52E2 D9@HD E96 E62496C D9@CE286 2?5 C6E6?E:@? :DDF6D 92G6 6D42=2E65]k^Am

kAm“(6 92G6 G6CJ 9:89 ?F>36CD @7 F?7:==65 A@D:E:@?D[” pC5C6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm|2?J @7 E9@D6 2C6 :? CFC2= 2C62D H96C6 D2=2C:6D 2?5 C6D@FC46D 2C6 =@H6C 2?5 :D@=2E:@? :D 9:896C[ 96 D2JD] %@ 2EEC24E >@C6 E62496CD[ CFC2= D2=2C:6D ?665 E@ 36 =6G6= H:E9 H92E @E96C D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED @776C]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C 492==6?86 :? 2EEC24E:?8 E62496CD :? CFC2= 2C62D :D 9@FD:?8] p J@F?8 E62496C >2J 86E E96:C 7:CDE ;@3 2?5 E96C6 :D ?@H96C6 E@ =:G6 :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ] %96C6 92D E@ 36 2 3C@25 2AAC@249[ pC5C6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm$A64:2= 65F42E:@? E6249:?8 ;@3D 2C6 E96 92C56DE E@ 7:==] %96C6 2C6 2=D@ D9@CE286D :? $%t| DF3;64ED[ 6G6? :? A9JD:42= 65F42E:@? E@52J[ D2JD y@9? |6:I?6C[ 2 C68:@?2= DFA6C:?E6?56?E @7 D49@@=D :? H6DE6C? x==:?@:D H9@ 962565 E96 xp#$$ a_aa\ab 65F42E@CD D9@CE286 DFCG6J]k^Am

kAm“%96 E62496C D9@CE286 :D C62= 2?5 :E’D ?@E 86EE:?8 2?J 36EE6C[” D2JD q6? s6C86D[ DFA6C:?E6?56?E @7 D49@@=D 7@C E96 %C:\'2==6J 5:DEC:4E :? s@H?D[ x==:?@:D] w6 D2JD E9:D D>2== D49@@= 5:DEC:4E 2?5 @E96CD =:<6 :E 72CE96C 7C@> FC32? 46?E6CD 2C6 766=:?8 :E >@C6]k^Am

kAm%96 x==:?@:D xp#$$ 65F42E@C D9@CE286 DFCG6J D9@HD egT @7 DFA6C:?E6?56?ED C6A@CE65 76H6C 42?5:52E6D 7@C A@D:E:@?D E92? E96 J62C 367@C6] tG6? %C:\'2==6J $49@@= s:DEC:4E — :? 46?EC2= x==:?@:D =@42E65 ?62C x==:?@:D $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ[ H9:49 65F42E6D E62496CD[ 2?5 ?62C E96 EH:? 4:E:6D @7 q=@@>:?8E@? 2?5 }@C>2= — D66D 2 5H:?5=:?8 ?F>36C @7 42?5:52E6D 7@C ?6H 9:C6D]k^Am

kAm%H6?EJ J62CD 28@[ E96C6 H@F=5 36 f_ 2AA=:42E:@?D 7@C 2 9:89 D49@@= D4:6?46 E6249:?8 A@D:E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%@52J[ :7 J@F 86E E9C66 @C 7@FC[ J@F 2C6 766=:?8 8C62E[” s6C86D D2JD]k^Am

kAmuC@> C6D62C49 :? 9:D 5:DD6CE2E:@?[ s6C86D D2JD E96 E62496C D9@CE286 42?’E 2== 36 3=2>65 @? r~'xs] xE H2D 2 AC@3=6> 7@C CFC2= D49@@=D[ 3FE E96 AC@3=6> D?@H32==65 H:E9 E96 A2?56>:4] x? 9:D 5:DEC:4E[ E96C6 H2D?’E “2 >2DD 6I@5FD” @7 C6E:C66D[ 3FE E96 A:A6=:?6 AC@G:5:?8 ?6H E62496CD :D 86EE:?8 D>2==6C 2?5 D>2==6C]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Beware turkey bits, pieces
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Get better hay, returns with small changes
Laws restrict foreign land owners
Cattlemen answer the call with hay convoy to wildfire-stricken Nebraska
EPA makes latest attempt to define WOTUS
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
Modern farm shops feature high-end components, aesthetic appeal
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term
Industrial hemp reemerges as alternative
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability

kAmx? E96 a_aa\ab 65F42E@C D9@CE286 DFCG6J[ 2=>@DE g_T @7 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED D2:5 E96J 925 F?7:==65 G242?4:6D DE2CE:?8 E96 D49@@= J62C] p=>@DE 92=7 @7 E96 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED C6A@CE65 >@C6 D9@CE286D :? a_aa E92? :? a_a`]k^Am

kAmp E62496C D9@CE286 FD65 E@ 36 2 CFC2= D49@@= AC@3=6>[ D2JD |2C82C6E qF4<E@? H:E9 #FC2= $49@@= p5G@42E6D @7 x@H2]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 6G6CJH96C6[ 2?5 E92E >2<6D :E 92C56C @? CFC2= D49@@=D 3642FD6 FC32? D49@@=D 42? @776C >@C6 >@?6J 2?5 36?67:ED :? >2?J 42D6D[” D96 D2JD] “%96 7F?5:?8 7@C>F=2 :D 32D65 @? 6?C@==>6?E[ >62?:?8 E96 >@C6 DEF56?ED J@F 92G6[ J@F’== 86E >@C6 7F?5:?8]”k^Am

kAmqF4<E@? D2JD CFC2= D49@@=D @7E6? 24E 2D 2 EC2:?:?8 8C@F?5 7@C E62496CD] %96J 9:C6 7:CDE\E:>6 E62496CD[ EC2:? E96> 2?5 E96? D@>6E:>6D =@D6 E96> E@ 2 =2C86C 5:DEC:4E]k^Am

kAm$96 D2JD H9:=6 E96 ?F>36C @7 E62496CD AC@5F465 3J x@H2 4@==686D 92D 564C62D65[ :E’D 2 3:886C AC@3=6> :? =2C86C DE2E6D =:<6 x==:?@:D 2?5 |:49:82?]k^Am

kAm“(6 2C6 =@D:?8 E62496CD 3642FD6 @7 E96 :?4C62D65 4@>A6E:E:@?[” qF4<E@? D2JD]k^Am

kAmu:?6 D2JD :E’D DE:== 62C=J :? E96 E62496C 9:C:?8 D62D@? 7@C ?6IE D49@@= J62C] w6 D2JD E9C66 J62CD 27E6C E96 DE2CE @7 E96 A2?56>:4[ E9:?8D 2C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ 766= ?@C>2= 282:?]k^Am

kAm“(6 ?665 E62496CD[ 2?5 7F?5D 2C6 2=H2JD E:89E[” 96 D2JD] “(6’C6 86EE:?8 2=@?8 2== C:89E[ 3FE :E 92D 366? 492==6?8:?8]”k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmkDEC@?8m$9@CE286 DE2E:DE:4Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m%@A 7:G6 C62D@?D 7@C F?7:==65 65F42E@C A@D:E:@?D 2C6ik^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m%96 H@C<=@25 :D E@@ 56>2?5:?8]k^=:mk=:mq6EE6C 4@>A6?D2E:@? :? 2?@E96C AC@76DD:@?]k^=:mk=:mq6EE6C 4@>A6?D2E:@? :? 2 ?6:893@C:?8 x==:?@:D 5:DEC:4E WCFC2= 5:DEC:4ED 86?6C2==J A2J =6DDX]k^=:mk=:m!@=:E:42= 4=:>2E6 @7 E96 DE2E6^?2E:@?]k^=:mk=:mq6EE6C 4@>A6?D2E:@? :? 2 ?62C3J DE2E6]k^=:mk^F=m

kAm$6G6?EJ\?:?6 A6C46?E @7 E9@D6 DFCG6J65 D2J E96C6 :D 2 D9@CE286 @7 65F42E@CD :? E96:C 5:DEC:4Ej cdT D2:5 :E :D H@CD6 :? a_aa\ab E92? :? E96 A2DE]k^Am

kAm%H6?EJ\6:89E A6C46?E Wa[cgf @7 h[gf`X @7 65F42E@C @A6?:?8D H6?E F?7:==65 @C H6C6 7:==65 H:E9 2 =6DD\E92?\BF2=:7:65 42?5:52E6 :? a_aa\ab]k^Am

kAm%96 DFCG6J H2D 2?DH6C65 3J g_T @7 x==:?@:D D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED]k^Am

kAm%96 x==:?@:D pDD@4:2E:@? @7 #68:@?2= $FA6C:?E6?56?ED @7 $49@@=D 4@?5F4E65 E96 DFCG6J] xE 92D 366? BF@E65 H:56=J[ :?4=F5:?8 3J x==:?@:D v@G] yq !C:EK<6C :? 9:D 3F586E 255C6DD u63] `d H96C6 96 D6E 65F42E:@? 2D 2 AC:@C:EJ[ DA64:7:42==J 255C6DD:?8 E96 E62496C D9@CE286]k^Am

kAm$@FC46i a_aa\ab x==:?@:D t5F42E@C $9@CE286 rC:D:D $FCG6Jk^Am

In this Series

Rural Schools following the pandemic

Mar 11, 2023
Rural schools showing impact after COVID-19
Mar 11, 2023
Ag educators find new focus in the classroom
Mar 10, 2023
Rural schools struggling to fill teacher vacancies
4 updates

Be the first to know

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Jeff DeYoung

Author email

Phyllis Coulter

Author email

Related to this story

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits: