BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Ever since the pandemic, it’s been an annual struggle to bring on enough school staff to meet student needs. Recent data shows staffing is climbing back up – but not without some concerns.
When Penny Chamberlain started as Orleans Central Supervisory Union Superintendent three years ago, the district was desperate for teachers and support staff.
“It was quite a run for a couple of years trying to get ourselves to that place,” said Chamberlain.
Chamberlain recruited some 200 employees between 2021 and 2023.
Following two collective bargaining sessions and salary boosts, she onboarded a final fifty employees this spring.
At around 335 staff members today, Chamberlain says the district is finally stable.
“That was, I think, one of the most remarkable pieces that has caused this shift in our staffing shortage. Everybody’s hard work has paid off,” said Chamberlain.
Compared to other districts across the state, OCSU is a success story.
While school staffing is slowly creeping back up, data from the Department of Education shows that the state’s current teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, and other essential educators like nurses or counselors are about 10% lower than before the pandemic.
The rush to fill positions can be problematic, too.
Jay Nichols with the Vermont Principals Association says some districts have hired less qualified employees to close the gap.
“Having a high quality, licensed teacher that’s trained and knows what he or she is doing makes a big positive difference in kids’ lives. And when you don’t have those people it has a negative impact,” said Nichols.
Nichols, Chamberlain, and other experts say bringing quality staffing back takes a multifaceted approach including higher pay, more housing, and staff support.
But that’s easier said than done.
“We’re in a tough place as a state right now. We have a declining population, we have budgets that are going up, and we have tough decisions as a state as to what we want to have as an education system over the next few years,” said Nichols.
The state says it’s working on a more comprehensive breakdown of the teacher shortage, hopefully available sometime this winter.