Indiana School districts still working to combat teacher shortages

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - School districts across Michiana are working to combat the teacher shortage being seen across the nation.

Teachers around the country are calling it quits amid rising school violence, high stress, and low pay.

Local school districts shared what they are doing to keep and retain teachers.

Superintendent Paul White from New Prairie Schools says they too have fallen victim to the shortage, even if not as much as other districts.

He shared how they are working to remain competitive after other local school districts announced higher salaries and retention bonuses.

"Attracting a new generation of talented individuals that want to impact student learning. But we have to compete with other fields,” said White.

"Keep our starting teaching salary competitive… and that’s an ongoing process through the bargaining process on a yearly basis. And trying to stay within a reasonable area of where the reasonable range of what the area average is, we've been able to do that,” he added.

South Bend School Corporation is also feeling the implications of the shortage.

"Like all districts, we're feeling the effects of that. We're working with our local parents like Bethel University to get great teachers in the district,” said Jason Zook the Director of Talent Management and IUSB Plus Grant for South Bend Schools.

They shared what they are doing to keep and retain teachers, starting with different mentor programs to allow teachers to work towards their masters.

There is an even bigger focus on pay after PHM Schools announced this week, they would pay teachers 47,000 thousand dollars to start and provide a 650-dollar retention bonus to attract qualified talent and keep them on the job.

South Bend and New Prairie say they’re focused on attracting a new generation of educators.

“We're really looking to take those already working with us and kind of grow your own and move them into the classroom teaching,” added Zook.

And Superintendent White wants to emphasize to those thinking about going into education how fulfilling the career is.

“I wouldn’t change it for one second. And I think that’s been forgotten in some of the national conversation around teaching and getting involved in education. it’s a really fulfilling life,” said White.

Both districts say they’re in ongoing talks to keep their salaries competitive. South Bend Schools says they are currently working on contract negations with the teachers' union, with the goal of paying them more to keep them around for years to come.

All open positions across the state can be found on the Indiana Department of Education’s Website.