Is Your ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø School Understaffed? Why Schools Are Instituting Hiring Freezes
Amidst nationwide budget cuts, nearly all public schools have been forced to readjust their operations.
- Subsequently, many schools have been forced to implement hiring freezes, reducing the number of teachers on each campus.
- In fact, experts found that 72% of polled public schools anticipate more job cuts.
What does this mean for your child?
- The hiring freezes translate into a larger number of students per classroom, which means less one-on-one attention for every student.
- Schools are feeling the ramifications of the economy from the East Coast to the West Coast, and so are students.
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Thousands of Teaching Positions Left Vacant
According to the , New York area schools are a prime example of the nationwide budget struggles facing public school leaders.
- For example, just two weeks before the start of the 2009-2010 school year, approximately 1,800 teaching jobs in various New York City public schools remained vacant.
- While school leaders desperately wanted to fill the teaching job openings, reduced operating funds left leaders with limited options.
- In fact, the Education Department enforced a mandatory hiring freeze in the spring of 2009, prohibiting hiring new and/or returning teachers until further notice.
Fewer Funds Equals Fewer Teachers
On the West Coast, North Clackamas School District, located in Oregon, has also experienced significant challenges due to the wavering economy.
- According to , North Clackamas schools were forced to send lay-off notices to 60 teachers in late August, just weeks before the start of a new school year.
- Unfortunately, the local teachers’ union and school leaders struggled to meet wage agreements.
- The teacher’s union refused to accept a salary freeze, which would have opened up the monetary funds needed to keep some of the 60 laid-off teachers on staff.
As a result, while existing teachers are set to receive their yearly raise, the North Clackamas Schools strive to manage their educational plans with a 5.7 percent reduction in teaching positions.
According to further reports, “The poor economy has bruised