Baltimore County Public Schools educators brace for impact of teacher shortage
TOWSON, Md. -- Teachers employed by Baltimore County Public Schools will be back on duty Monday and could encounter challenges stemming from an ongoing teacher shortage.
Staffing instabilities across the country started before COVID-19 but only worsened after the pandemic.
Baltimore County is no exception, according to the president of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, Cindy Sexton.
"I have not seen a number (of vacancies) since last week and it was just under 500 then but I know they've hired more since," Sexton explained.
Ongoing efforts to fill educator openings and other school staff positions will continue the week before students are set to return to classrooms on August 29.
Sexton added that compensation, recruiting, and retention are key for both educators and their students.
"When we don't have those qualified educators, it is a direct reflection on our students' ability to learn," Sexton said.
On Sunday, United States Secretary of Education, Miguel Cordona was featured on Face the Nation where he called on states and school districts to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to fuel the filing of critical gaps. This could come in the form of more competitive salaries.
"We need to make sure we're supporting our educators, giving them the working conditions where they feel connected to the community and feel supported in the work that they're doing," Cordona said.
While parents prepare to send the people of our future to learn, Latena Jenkins said the teacher shortage in the county is concerning but has faith the district will do what's best for her soon-to-be ninth-grader.
"It does, but I'm really not worried about it," Jenkins said. "Hopefully things just work out for the best."
WJZ inquired with BCPS about the current state of their teacher shortage and what plans are in place to assist returning teachers should vacancies not be filled in time for the start of the school year. So far, a response has not been returned.
"It's not easy. We don't go into it because it's easy; we go into it for our students and our students need us," Sexton said. "They want us to be there. They're counting on us. They're depending on us and our new educators—our veteran educators—they know that."
