North Carolina is heading for a serious teacher shortage, judging by the number of students enrolled in UNC education programs. It’s down 27 percent over four years.
UNC system schools produce a large share of North Carolina public school teachers. The decline translates to thousands fewer classroom instructors. Where will they come from?
Rather than answer that question, North Carolina must reverse the trend. It took one step in the right direction last year by passing a 7 percent average teacher pay raise, which was heavily weighted toward newer teachers. This year, the legislature plans to raise starting pay for teachers to $35,000. This will help North Carolina attract talented teachers, either from its own colleges and universities or from out of state. But, because teacher pay still trails the national average, the increase is not enough.
North Carolina also should correct some mistakes it has made in recent years. It eliminated the N.C. Teaching Fellows program, which provided college scholarships for bright young people who pledged to teach for at least four years after graduation. That should be restored or replaced with a comparable program. The state also no longer offers higher salaries for teachers who earn master’s degrees, discouraging ambitious educators from seeking greater knowledge or returning to the classroom after they get it. That incentive should be restored.
In South Carolina, Republican Gov. Nikki Haley has proposed: tuition subsidies for college students who agree to teach for two years; help in paying college loans; financial support for teachers earning graduate degrees; and extra pay for teachers who agree to mentor younger colleagues. North Carolina should match those initiatives.
The state also should avoid actions that may drive teachers from the profession. Removing due process protections, or tenure, sends a chilling message. That issue is being argued in court. While no one wants to keep “bad teachers” in the classroom, without due process, teachers can be removed for any reason.
Merit pay will come up for discussion this year. It’s intended to reward excellent teachers, but what’s a fair way to determine who’s deserving? If that’s test scores, allowances should be made for factors that give various students special advantages or disadvantages. Also, merit pay plans often leave out educators who teach art, music, drama, foreign languages or other electives that are valuable for some students.
Teachers deserve to be treated with respect and given decent working conditions. They ought to be recognized for their contributions. They should not be burdened with excessively large classes. They need occasional work days, regular planning periods and a sufficient lunch break every day. They should be given professional development opportunities.
For many North Carolina teachers, the reality is less than that. As long as it is, attracting enough talented new teachers will be hard and the state’s children will suffer the consequences.
