New study examines State’s teacher shortage
May 17, 2016As part of Proviso 1A.78, a survey was sent to the deans of teacher education programs in 30 South Carolina public and independent colleges/universities to determine whether these institutions have the capacity and infrastructure to fulfill the projected teacher needs. The survey results indicate that South Carolina colleges and universities with teacher education programs have the willingness and ability to accommodate more teacher candidates in several subject areas that are projected to have teacher shortages. According to the deans, however, there is a lack of student interest in entering the teaching profession, particularly in these core areas: sciences, social studies, mathematics, and special education. Unfortunately, these areas are the ones with the greatest need for teachers and are projected to have the most significant teacher shortages over the next decade.
Overall, South Carolina does not produce a sufficient number of teachers through the state’s teacher education programs to fill current and anticipated vacant positions. Graduates from in-state teacher education programs are the largest source of newly hired teachers each year. Other new hires include international teachers and those from another state, and teachers from alternative certification programs like South Carolina’s Program of Alternative Certification (PACE). These sources combined, however, may not generate a supply of teachers large enough to meet the current or projected demand for teachers based on student enrollment.
To read the full report, go to http://cerra.org/media/
About The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement, established by the Commission on Higher Education in December 1985 and funded by the South Carolina General Assembly, was created out of a concern for the condition of South Carolina’s teacher supply pool and a need for a centralized teacher recruitment effort.
CERRA’s agenda is a comprehensive one in which the Center sponsors a variety of programs for increasing the number of students in the education pipeline and recruiting and retaining qualified, caring, and competent teachers. The Center’s primary target groups are middle and high school students, college students, and adults interested in changing careers.
CERRA also targets groups of accomplished teachers through programs including mentoring, teacher leadership and National Board Certification. The network of educators in our programs overlaps in powerful ways to increase the level of collaboration for recruitment, retention and advancement of South Carolina educators. For more information about CERRA, visit www.cerra.org.