Idaho teacher shortage costs state millions

Teachers leaving Idaho for classrooms elsewhere - or leaving the profession altogether - cost the state nearly $6.8 million to replace annually.

Better supporting new teachers with targeted mentoring and professional development could help stem the flow, Idaho State Board of Education staffer Christina Linder told the board Thursday when it met at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.

More competitive salaries would help, too, Linder said.

She shared details from the latest report by a group studying causes of the state's teacher shortage, including why approximately one-third of teachers who complete their training in Idaho don't end up teaching here.

Bordering states pay more, Linder said, despite a recently implemented "career ladder" designed to lift salaries.

"It is true that, even with the career ladder, we're still ranked 47 out of 50 states," she said, noting 30 percent of Idaho teachers depart by their fourth year.

An average of 1,553 teachers leave Idaho public schools each year, according to the "teacher pipeline" report, developed by a committee of Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's Task Force for Improving Education. Using a cost estimate of $4,400 per teacher, established a decade ago, the report's authors figure Idaho school districts spend $6.8 million annually to replace teachers lost to attrition. The actual cost, the report states, is likely two to three times higher.

Studies indicate well-trained mentors and strong support and development programs for new teachers improve retention, Linder said.

"It's highly possible that we're losing them for lack of support," she said.

Other recommendations include exploring incentives, such as student loan forgiveness or housing options, to attract new teachers to the hardest-hit rural districts.

The state board approved the group's recommendations Thursday, having already greenlighted a portion of the report that calls for alternatives to traditional certification for teachers entering the field from other professions.

The earlier provision drew criticism from educators, including the Idaho Education Association, as a "band-aid" measure that ignored the larger issue of sub-par pay and lack of teacher support.

But Idaho Education Association President Kari Overall said the issues detailed in Thursday's report, developed with participation from the IEA, ring true.

"We firmly believe that that support piece is crucial to solving many of our recruitment and retention issues," Overall said.

Some elements proposed in the report could be implemented as state education board rules, IEA spokesman Dave Harbison said. Others, such as funding the remaining third tier of the career ladder for veteran teachers, would require legislative approval.

Also at Thursday's meeting:

• The board OK'd a long list of projects from the state's Permanent Building Fund, including $900,000 for four projects at Lewis-Clark State College. The governor and Legislature must approve the projects before funding is final.

The proposed projects at LCSC are $400,000 for brickwork on the outside of the Center for Arts & History, $25,000 for a study of the campus' electrical infrastructure, $345,000 for completing the first floor of Clearwater Hall and $130,000 for remodeling and expanding space for movement and sports sciences programs in the Activity Center West.

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Stone may be contacted at mstone@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2244. Follow her on Twitter @MarysSchoolNews.