Retiring Math and Science Teachers: You’ll be dearly missed…

That’s because of the incredible shortage of qualified math and science teachers that exists in Washington state.

From today’s Tri-City Herald—

“As more and more baby boomers retire, employers nationwide are scrambling to fill jobs and entice skilled older workers to stay on a little longer.

Tri-City school officials aren’t forecasting an unusual surge of teacher retirements anytime soon, and figures obtained by the Herald seem to back up their confidence. But officials do say educators like Knepp — with her expertise in math and science — are especially hard to replace.

‘We do (think) about it, especially in certain subject matters,’ said Bev Johnson-Torelli, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Kennewick School District. ‘Right now, there isn’t a scarcity of elementary teachers. But there is in math, science, special education and (those who teach students learning English).’”

AND

“Finding enough qualified math and science teachers to make up for turnover, retirement and new demands in those subjects is a challenge, Tri-City school officials said.

One study by the Washington, D.C.-based Business and Higher Education Forum projected that 280,000 new math and science teachers will be needed by 2015.”

Thankfully, PESB was tasked in the state’s budget with developing a comprehensive math and science teacher recruitment strategy by the legislature earlier this year. Let’s hope their efforts can help to combat the impending baby boom retirement wave—or at least explore a program like California’s which recruits retirees back into the classroom.