Teacher shortage hits Southern Indiana

When a West Clark Community Schools teacher unexpectedly left the district on the first day of school, administrators thought it would be easy to find an entry-level replacement.

But only two applications came in, and the district instead hired a more experienced teacher with a master’s degree.

That’s partly good, Superintendent Chad Schenck said, since the district wants the knowledge an experienced teacher brings, but it’s also illustrative of a worsening teacher shortage in Indiana — particularly among entry-level teachers the district relies on to keep staffing costs down.

Across the state, the number of people receiving teaching licenses for the first time is down 18 percent from five years ago, according to the Indiana Department of Education, and enrollment in education programs at state colleges and universities is declining.

At Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, undergraduate enrollment in teacher-preparation programs is down 35 percent from five years ago, according to university data.

The decline, many Indiana educators say, suggests a larger problem: Students just don't want to go into teaching.

Last month, state lawmakers announced they would convene Oct. 19 to discuss the shortage. Schenck said he plans to be there and hopes legislators are prepared to hear what he and other educators have to say.

“It’s easy to see why most people are choosing not to go into teaching right now,” he said.

Educators cite a combination of factors for the shortage, including low pay and high-stakes teacher evaluations. But much of the decline at IU Southeast can be traced to changes in the tests that prospective teachers are required to take, said Gloria Murray, associate professor of education.

In 2013, Indiana introduced a new test, called CASA, that college students were required to take before gaining entry into an education program. It replaced the Praxis I, and Murray said the new test's format was different and students thought some of the questions were worded strangely.

“Many students weren’t doing well, and it was very discouraging,” she said. “I’m sure they were talking to their friends, their colleagues, their peers about this test … we think that might have been some influence for some students across the state of Indiana in terms of, ‘I don’t think I’m going to go into teaching.’ ”

Changes also were made to the test required for obtaining a teaching license, she said, which likely had a similar effect. Last year, the university made adjustments to help students better prepare for the tests, but “it’s going to take a while to see the results,” she said.

In a statement released last month, the Indiana State Teachers Association outlined “the harsh realities of teaching” that might be driving students away from the field — namely, pay and increased pressure on teachers who are increasingly evaluated using standardized test scores.

The sentiment was shared by Donna Mullins, director of human resources at Greater Clark County Schools, who said teachers’ salaries haven’t kept up with those in technology and medical fields.

In the past year, Greater Clark has had to request emergency teachers’ licenses from the state for several new science and technology teachers in “hard-to-fill” positions, Mullins said.

At the Clarksville Community School Corp., the school board had to designate a recent math vacancy as “hard-to-fill” and stray from the traditional salary schedule to attract candidates.

Superintendent Kimberly Knott, like Mullins and the teachers association, says much of the increased pressure felt by teachers can be traced to recent reforms. The ongoing “dissension” between Gov. Mike Pence and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz “creates issues for public schools that in turn create issues for classroom teachers,” she said.

The only Southern Indiana district that has not felt the effects of the shortage is New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp., a fact spokesman Bill Briscoe said in an email could be attributed to the district's "outstanding reputation."

"We are concerned about the reported shortage and how this will affect the hiring of quality candidates in the future," he wrote. "We are hopeful the state will take steps that will attract teachers into this rewarding profession."

At West Clark, Schenck intends to examine teacher contracts to make sure West Clark is a place prospective teachers want to work. The problem isn't dire, but Schenck worries that day is coming.

“We’re going to see this get worse,” he said. “The shortage that we’re experiencing right now is the tip of the iceberg, I’m afraid.”

Reporter Kirsten Clark can be reached at (502) 582-4144 or at kclark2@courier-journal.com.