LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Education reports the number of people completing teacher training in the state dropped by 37% between 2008 and 2018.

Combined with some educators leaving the profession amid the pandemic, that creates a perfect storm of trouble for school district officials trying to fill open positions.

The University of Kentucky, which operates the state's largest teacher education program, has nearly 300 fewer students now than in 2015. Julian Vasquez Heilig, Dean of the UK College of Education, said the decline has now been stabilized, but remains below enrollment amounts from the past.

At the same time, Vasquez Heilig said they are seeing an interest, as applications are up 46%. However, applications do not always translate to enrollment and completion. He said if the industry does not make changes such as raising pay, continued pension protection and providing more resources, it will continue to be a challenge to get prospective students who have an interest through the door.

“When they get into schools, there are so many hurdles and so many challenges that they sometimes choose other professions," Heilig said. "Not only do we need to bring teachers into the profession, we need to find ways to keep them in the profession, to show them the appreciation and respect that we feel for them."

Districts across the state are facing teacher shortages, particularly in special education, math and science, which have historically had shortages. KDE Commissioner Dr. Jason Glass said more than 6,300 of the roughly 42,000 teachers in Kentucky leave the profession each year for one reason or another. 

Heilig said he can tell school districts are feeling that blow, as many superintendents call him asking when he will have new teachers for them to help fill open positions in their districts.

UK College of Education senior Audrey Eldridge is on track to graduate in the fall. She feels it may be a strange time to enter the profession, but she looks forward to the challenge.

“I am most excited to just connect with the students and make learning something that is not just looking at worksheets and textbooks everyday, but something that is fun, that’s hands-on," said Eldridge.

She's studying to become an elementary education teacher. Growing up, she always loved working with kids, so she started babysitting.

Eldridge said her own K-12 teachers helped shape who she is today, which is something she looks forward to doing for her students one day soon.

“I definitely had teachers who challenged me, who pushed me to exceed my expectations for myself, who pushed me to read harder books and to do harder math problems," she said. "I think elementary school was very impactful on how I feel about education now."

There may be fewer teachers coming up the pipeline, but that just goes to show how dedicated the ones who are will be to their students.

“It’s definitely not a money-centered career. You have to be here for the children. You have to care about their learning and what they’re doing," Eldridge said.

The National Education Association reports Kentucky ranks 42nd in the nation with average starting salary for teachers sitting at $37,238.

KDE Commissioner Dr. Jason Glass discusses these topics more at-length in a recent op-ed, which you can find here.