Montana: Jasour – News Desk
The Treasure State continues to face a statewide teacher shortage. At the end of November, Montana had 51 openings for special education teachers.
“I do have openings for all kinds of teachers right now, and it’s been cut in half, but I’m still almost 400 teachers in need,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen. A report came out last year, identifying special education as one of the top three critical shortage areas in the state. Arntzen said addressing this issue needs to start through recognition.
“We are looking at a workforce that is attuned to a special population, and all of us are unique. All of us learn differently, as well as teachers,” said Arntzen.
Arntzen adds Montana OPI is offering a paraprofessional pathway to provide more flexibilities for teachers.
High school students can take dual credit courses and apply for dual enrollment to experience what it’s like to be a teacher. OPI also offers stipends to help students pay for college.
Arntzen wants teachers to have a great understanding of their students, the community and the community’s needs before filling this crucial position. “We need to look at that teacher as who they are and give them that best opportunity,” said Arntzen.
To address the statewide teacher shortage, Montana State University will soon offer a special education teaching certificate.
The certificate is for undergraduate students majoring in education who want to develop teaching skills that support all students.
“We have known that we really needed to have this program to better serve not our area, but the greater state of Montana. So, I know that having this here, our students will no longer have to pay to add this on at some other university that’s 80 miles or more away from our location. Then they’re going to be able to teach locally or in many of our rural schools across the state,” said Leslie Rogers, assistant professor in the MSU Department of Education.
