Schools in the United States are welcoming back students to classrooms this autumn. But they are facing a new problem: a shortage of teachers and school workers. Districts have faced shortages before, but many now say it is the worst it has ever been. The country’s public schools have struggled for years with teacher shortages, especially in math, science, special education and languages. But the COVID-19 crisis has worsened the problem. The pandemic has led to an increase in retirements and resignations. Districts across the country are reporting teacher shortages. In South Dakota, one district started the school year with 120 unfilled teacher positions. Across Texas, the main districts in the cities of Houston and Waco reported hundreds of teacher openings at the start of the year. Many schools across the country have had to close classrooms because of a lack of teachers. In Michigan, Eastpointe Community Schools moved its middle school back to online learning last week because it does not have enough teachers. The small district north of Detroit has 43 positions open one quarter of its teachers. When several middle school teachers resigned last week, the district started teaching online classes to avoid sending in inexperienced substitute teachers, said spokeswoman Caitlyn Kienitz. “This is obviously not ideal, but we’re able to make sure they’re getting each subject area from a teacher certified to teach it,” Kienitz said. The National Education Association surveyed 2,690 educators in June. Thirty-two percent said the pandemic drove them to leave teaching earlier than expected. Another survey by the Rand Corporation found that teachers had high levels of stress and were three times more likely than adults in other professions to experience depression.
Title: COVID-19 Creates US Shortage of Teachers, School Workers
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='COVID-19 Creates US Shortage of Teachers, School Workers' data-article-id='5920'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='7542'>Schools in the United States are welcoming back students to classrooms this autumn. </span> <span data-start-time='7542' data-end-time='15292'>But they are facing a new problem: a shortage of teachers and school workers.</span> <span data-start-time='15292' data-end-time='24125'>Districts have faced shortages before, but many now say it is the worst it has ever been.</span> <span data-start-time='24125' data-end-time='38167'>The country’s public schools have struggled for years with teacher shortages, especially in math, science, special education and languages. </span> <span data-start-time='38167' data-end-time='43813'>But the COVID-19 crisis has worsened the problem. </span> <span data-start-time='43813' data-end-time='51646'>The pandemic has led to an increase in retirements and resignations.</span> <span data-start-time='51646' data-end-time='56938'>Districts across the country are reporting teacher shortages. </span> <span data-start-time='56938' data-end-time='66104'>In South Dakota, one district started the school year with 120 unfilled teacher positions. </span> <span data-start-time='66104' data-end-time='77458'>Across Texas, the main districts in the cities of Houston and Waco reported hundreds of teacher openings at the start of the year.</span> <span data-start-time='77458' data-end-time='86771'>Many schools across the country have had to close classrooms because of a lack of teachers.</span> <span data-start-time='86771' data-end-time='98354'>In Michigan, Eastpointe Community Schools moved its middle school back to online learning last week because it does not have enough teachers. </span> <span data-start-time='98354' data-end-time='108021'>The small district north of Detroit has 43 positions open one quarter of its teachers.</span> <span data-start-time='108021' data-end-time='124313'>When several middle school teachers resigned last week, the district started teaching online classes to avoid sending in inexperienced substitute teachers, said spokeswoman Caitlyn Kienitz.</span> <span data-start-time='124313' data-end-time='137521'>“This is obviously not ideal, but we’re able to make sure they’re getting each subject area from a teacher certified to teach it,” Kienitz said.</span> <span data-start-time='137521' data-end-time='145833'>The National Education Association surveyed 2,690 educators in June. </span> <span data-start-time='145833' data-end-time='154229'>Thirty-two percent said the pandemic drove them to leave teaching earlier than expected.</span> <span data-start-time='154229' data-end-time='170188'>Another survey by the Rand Corporation found that teachers had high levels of stress and were three times more likely than adults in other professions to experience depression.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18129 data-hint-location='7542' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/what_is_a_teacher.wav'>What is a teacher?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a person who instructs, especially in a school'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/a_person_who_instructs_especially_in_a_school.wav'><span>a person who instructs, especially in a school</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/a_piece_of_paper_or_card_bought_as_a_way_of_entering_a_lottery_or_raffle.wav'><span>a piece of paper or card bought as a way of entering a lottery or raffle</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/a_written_or_printed_work_consisting_of_pages_glued_or_sewn_together_along_one_side_and_bound_in_covers.wav'><span>a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/a_small_handheld_device_that_is_dragged_across_a_flat_surface_to_move_the_cursor_on_a_computer_screen_typically_having_buttons_that_are_pressed_to_control_functions.wav'><span>a small handheld device that is dragged across a flat surface to move the cursor on a computer screen, typically having buttons that are pressed to control functions</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18130 data-hint-location='145833' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/according_to_a_survey_from_the_national_education_association_how_many_educators_left_teaching_earlier_than_expected_due_to_the_pandemic.wav'>According to a survey from the National Education Association, how many educators left teaching earlier than expected due to the pandemic?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='32 percent'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/32_percent.wav'><span>32 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/35_percent.wav'><span>35 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/3_percent.wav'><span>3 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/13_percent.wav'><span>13 percent</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18131 data-hint-location='77458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/many_schools_across_the_country_have_had_to_close__blank__because_of_a_lack_of_teachers.wav'>Many schools across the country have had to close <span class='blank'>classrooms</span> because of a lack of teachers.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='classrooms'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/basements.wav'><span>basements</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/classrooms.wav'><span>classrooms</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5332/diaries.wav'><span>diaries</span></div><div class='choice' 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