Letter to the Editor; Severe Teacher Shortage in Arizona
As a citizen of Arizona, I have witnessed the tremendous challenges that the education system faces. Of these challenges, teacher shortages are the most significant as they play a critical role in a learner’s progress. According to the Arizona Schools Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA), Arizona has faced teacher shortages over the past decade. ASPAA (2021) state 28% of the teacher vacancies in the state are still unfilled. More than half of the teaching vacancies are filled by teachers who lack the necessary certification requirements (ASPAA, 2021). These shortages are due to teachers’ movement out of the state due to the lack of sufficient salaries or support from the government. Additionally, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic increased turnover rates among Arizona teachers for fear of contracting the disease (Altavena, 2020).
Due to the teacher shortage, students become exposed to various vices. For instance, the growth of technology exposes students to cyber bullying, which may, in turn, lead to feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, and depression. Since the teachers available in Arizona have to handle many students at once, they may not have the time or opportunity to focus on individual-based learning. Such a disability makes it challenging for students to speak up about their bullying or other challenges. Moreover, the heavy workloads and pressure placed on the available teachers translate to substandard academic performances among students. These teachers may also become biased or unprofessional in their duties as they find themselves invincible in the education sector.
The Constitution emphasizes the essence of educational opportunities to all children. According to the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, all states that establish public schools must ensure that all students receive equal access to education (Constitutional Rights Foundation, 2020). Additionally, UNESCO contends that all students, irrespective of their social identity or backgrounds, deserve full educational opportunities (Daudet & Singh, 2001). The No Child also binds Arizona is Left Behind Act of 2002, which emphasizes the completion of k-12 general education for all American children. Thus, the shortage of teachers limits the actualization of basic student rights in Arizona.
Since proposition 204, which sought to convert temporary sales taxes that fund education into permanent taxes, was rejected, the state needs to fund alternative income sources. For instance, schools should encourage alumni funding, private gifts, and grants. These sources of income may facilitate schools in hiring more teachers. Additionally, Arizona faces a problem of unequal funds distribution among performing and less performing schools. Since performing schools receive more funds, they can easily hire qualified teaching staff.
On the other hand, less performing schools dwindle in their performance because the academic capital is insufficient for growth. Thus, such schools hire unqualified teachers or have alarmingly high teacher-student ratios. Therefore, the state must ensure the equal distribution of government funds in all schools.
Apart from temporary tax, the increasing teachers’ initiative can also receive funding from other governmental organs. ASPAA (2021) states that education is the major problem facing Arizona; hence, it deserves the state’s highest priority. Retrieving funding from other governmental organisms would significantly increase the state’s ability to hire more qualified teachers. Additionally, offering teachers better pay and working environments would increase incentives for Arizonian citizens to pursue teaching. A conducive teaching environment would also decrease turnover rates, prevent teachers from moving to other states, and encourage talented instructors’ movement into the state. Therefore, this initiative requires the federal and state governments’ full participation, learning institutions in Arizona, alumni, private funders or charities, and parents.
References
Altavena, L. (2020). These Arizona teachers quit this year, adding to the shortage of instructors. Here’s why. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/10/28/arizona-teacher-shortage-persists-heres-why-3-quit-2020/3589175001/.
ASPAA. (2021). ASPAA 2020 survey results. https://www.aspaa.org/news/526551/ASPAA-2020-Survey-Results-.htm.
Constitutional Rights Foundation. (2020). BRIA 7 4 c Education and the 14th Amendment. https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-7-4-c-education-and-the-14th-amendment.
Daudet, Y., & Singh, K. (2009). The right to education: An analysis of UNESCO’s Standard-setting instruments. https://www.right-to-education.org/sites/right-to-education.org/files/resource-attachments/UNESCO_RTE_Analysis_of_UNESCO%27s_Standard_Setting_Instruments_2001_En.pdf.