Baltimore County teachers prepare for the new school year and potential staffing issues
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore County students have one more week of summer vacation but their teachers are already back in the classroom and preparing for the upcoming school year.
They are among many educators returning to schools across the country that are struggling to overcome a nationwide teacher shortage.
At this point, Baltimore County Public Schools is more than 96% staffed after holding more than 200 recruiting events. The school district has hired more than 750 new teachers but it still is not fully staffed—with several hundred openings remaining.
"My heart really goes out to the teachers that are coming back," mother and former teacher Christie Friedman said. "It just means there's more work for them and more responsibility."
Cindy Sexton, the president of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, has warned that the teacher shortage is going to affect everyone.
"Research shows the most affecting thing for a student to improve their achievement is a qualified educator," she said.
While substitutes will be used to fill some of the education gaps, the shortage still means an increased workload for teachers. Still, the teachers will be there ready to do their job, Sexton said.
"Our educators are going to give it their all," Sexton said. "They're going to try their best despite all the challenges to make the most of every opportunity."
But it's not just teachers they need. Baltimore County Public Schools wants to hire paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers too.