As the new school year approaches, WLTX told you this week that local school districts are still searching for teachers.
Richland One told WLTX on Tuesday the district is still trying to fill 97 positions.
However, a shrinking applicant pool is making it difficult to fill those jobs.
South Carolina Department of Education Chief Communications Officer Ryan Brown say they're aware of the problem.
“We are at a crucial point in terms of people leaving the profession, retiring, and people going into it,” Brown said.
Dean of the University of South Carolina College of Education Jon Pedersen has experienced the same thing.
“We've seen a decline in the number of students that show interest and are applying to our University and to be teachers,” Pedersen said in his office.
On average, about 300 educators graduate a year from USC’s various education programs. However, they’re expecting that number to dip soon, due to a decline in interest.
In the last five years, Pedersen says there’s been a 20 percent drop in students coming to the college for education degrees.
But what's causing it?
Besides low pay, Pedersen touched on the other issues he hears most often.
“Support, leadership within the schools, school safety, those are all issues around which students talk about and teachers talk about why they might leave,” Pedersen said.
To combat some of the frustrations, the College of Education started a new program to help new teachers for three years after they graduate in an effort to keep them in the field.
The program is called the Carolina Teacher Induction Program or Carolina TIP. Its first year was last year and all 15 of the teachers involved are continuing to teach this year, according to Pedersen.
In its second year, they’re hoping to add 75 teachers to the program.
The College is also using recruiting tools like scholarships and partnering with middle and high schools to increase interest and change perception of education jobs.
Other programs like the Apple Core Initiative, meant to provide scholarships and opportunities to hopeful education students in underserved areas and demographics, were created to help increase the candidate pool.
Meanwhile, the S. Carolina Department of Education is pushing for legislative change.
“We were able to get a one percent raise across the board as well as a six percent raise for starting teacher pay,” Brown said, adding that it’s just one of many legislative agenda items they’re continuing to work on.
The statewide starting salary for first-year teachers is $32,000, according to Brown. They’re hoping to bring it more in line with the southeastern average, which would be roughly $600 more.
And maybe it’s all working, this fall USC had seven percent more applications for the college of education.