Data indicate teacher gap shrinking in NM

Sep. 24—More than five weeks after public schools in Santa Fe opened for the new year, the district still has 22 teacher positions to fill.

But Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez told school board members Thursday he is encouraged by the number — it marks a decline in what district officials described as a crisis-level educator shortage last year, one exacerbated by coronavirus pandemic-related teacher absences and a massive shortfall in substitutes.

At this time last year, the district reported 36 teacher vacancies. And just a month ago, it had 37 openings.

Of the 22 current vacancies, 10 are for hard-to-fill special-education teachers, Chavez said.

"As we know, it's an issue that's statewide and at the national level, so we're doing a great job," Chavez told board members, referring to the educator shortage.

He cited several factors contributing to the district's improvements when it comes to recruiting and retaining educators, from higher pay funded by the state government to a new district child care center and a decline in the pandemic.

Preliminary data on teacher vacancies throughout the state shows other districts are making improvements as well.

The Legislative Finance Committee recently estimated teacher vacancies might have dropped by almost 40 percent since last year.

An annual report compiled by New Mexico State University on educator positions in the state has not yet been released for 2022. Last year's version cited 1,048 vacant teaching jobs at the start of the school year, compared to 635 listed in the legislative brief.

The state Legislature earlier this year approved an average 7 percent wage increase for educators statewide, and boosted the minimum pay at each tier of the state's teaching license system by $10,000 — meaning a new teacher earns at least $50,000 rather than $40,000, while a second-tier teacher earns at least $60,000 and a teacher at the state's top licensing level earns a minimum of $70,000.

Legislators also passed the Educational Retirees Returning to Work Act, which allows retired teachers to return to the classroom without losing pension benefits.

"We want to thank the governor and our legislators for passing that, and investing in our educators," Chavez said in an interview. "Then, you know, different initiatives that we've gotten off the ground, such as child care, and really showing an appreciation for all employees."

In August, the district opened a new day care for school employees to help lower their child care costs.

Chavez noted he has no intention of halting teacher recruitment efforts until all positions are filled.

"Even though it's less than 2 1/2 percent for teachers, we want that to be at zero," he said. "Our goal is to have a teacher in front of every single one of our students."