Officials weigh in on the urgency of filling math positions in schools #dyscalculia

Across the state of West Virginia there is a shortage of adequate teachers for math classes in a majority of the schools. While the schools assure us that they are working very hard on finding teachers to fill that spots and that it is a top priority, the truth of the matter is that there are still 593 teaching vacancies and about 64 of them are for math.

The school system also is entering into Teacher-in-Residence agreements with local colleges. The agreements give future teachers within months of graduating a chance to “get their foot in the door,” according to Grant Spencer, county secondary curriculum coordinator.
~ Kailee Gallahan

Shortage of teachers in West Virginia disproportionately affects math.

The school officials state that it is really hard to find not only adequate teachers but also that the officials don’t want to just put anyone into the position. They want to be sure that the individuals are not only adequate but the best for the students and the school. At this time substitutes are being used to fill the voids in the schools.

Key Takeaways:

1
Schools in West Virginia are having difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill empty math teacher positions.
2
The shortage may be caused by the combination of aging teachers and fewer young teachers with the proper credentials.
3
The state is entering into agreements with teaching colleges to help ease the transition of newly-graduated teachers into the classroom, and is examining other barriers, such as pay, that are preventing the positions from being filled.