Go West, New Teachers!

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California will need to hire some 100,000 teachers within the next few years, reports Fox News: (emphasis added)

A massive teacher shortage in California has more than just students raising their hands in the air asking for help.

According to a new study, one-third of all teachers in the state will retire over the next decade, leaving California nearly 100,000 teachers short.

"We're facing a major crisis that's worse than any we've seen so far," said Harvey Hunt of the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning (search), a nonprofit organization that deals with teacher development policy.

The No Child Left Behind Act (search) made state teacher credentialing requirements tougher, and as a result thinned the ranks of would-be teachers.

Administrators say that, in addition to the tougher credentialing requirements, with an average starting salary of $35,000 it is often difficult to recruit and retain qualified teachers, especially given California's high cost of living and competition from other industries.

California is not alone in having teacher shortage woes. In neighboring Nevada, the state has become so desperate for teachers that it has recruited from overseas, hiring 34 teachers from the Philippines.

And in Las Vegas, schools are still some 400 full-time teachers short, with classes set to begin next week.

I wonder what percentage of the anticipated "teacher shortage" will be caused by "burnout" and teachers leaving the craft because in spite of constantly increasing performance expectations, pay increases remain stagnant or sub-inflationary?

Potential new teaching recruits should keep in mind that in California's larger cities, detached single-family homes often cost $300,000 (or more) and no matter what salary you earn, this organization as well as that organization will relieve each teacher of a combined sum of approximately $900.00 each and every year whether one likes it or not.

And no, unlike this much more progressive and open-minded organization in New York City, neither NEA nor CTA offer dues-payers and the public a forum for dissent.

Update: As we live in the desert, far from the large cities, commenter Coach Brown sets us straight about the true costs of purchasing a home in much of The Golden State. --------------------View the latest edition of The Carnival Of Education as well as entry instructions for next week's edition right here.

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