No new textbooks this year

[jsfowler]

In KY, this was the year to adopt new science textbooks. I was told today that no one in KY will be getting new books...it has been pushed back to next year. When a new governor is elected, it seems trouble soon follows. The last time we went on strike to keep our insurance coverage. What is next? Why is education the first thing they cut? Anyone else suffering from major cutbacks this year? We have been told that we could lose up to 20 teachers in our district this year. There is no shortage of students...just money.

[Boxcar]

i'm sorry you aren't getting your new textbooks.

There is one positive, though. You won't have to spend time getting to know the new books. Sometimes, the books can make things worse if they weren't what was planned.

[Chef Dave]

We have been told that we could lose up to 20 teachers in our district this year. There is no shortage of students...just money.

And this makes no sense at all. From what I've read, your state already has plenty of teacher vacancies. The problem is projected to be more acute within the next few years as the number of teachers leaving the profession out paces those who are going in.

A survey conducted between 1994-2005 by Kentucky Occupational Outlook to 2005 found that there are already an estimated 1,901 teacher vacancies in that state per year. (Elementary: 903, Secondary: 616, Special Education: 382).

http://www.kltprc.net/books/women/Chpt_7.htm

This same survey indicated that the average teacher salary in Kentucky ranks 28th in the nation ... but this information is dated. As of 2002, Kentucky ranked 37th in the nation based on a survey by the American Federation of Teachers.

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:6SR20ioAiNMJ:www.aft.org/salary/2003/download/2003Table1.pdf+average+teacher+salary+in+kentucky&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a

[jsfowler]

I hear about those vacancies all the time, but I don't know where they are. It is rare to have more than one person retire in my district per year...we are a fairly young group. This year, my math teacher took an administrative job in another district and I have no idea how many people applied (a lot!!!). We interviewed 6. I know a lot of people who have teaching degrees who cannot find a job, expecially elementary. My district has a high salary compared to surrounding areas - maybe that is why people want in. I think the shortage lies in the low socio-economic areas of Louisville, Lexington, and western KY...they have a lot of turn over. I was hired at my school straight out of college 8 years ago and we have only hired 5 people since. Every year, we have student teachers who fail to find any openings in the surrounding counties.