Teachers are Hard to Keep in Small Rural Towns

Wilkinson County School officials gather for a group photo after discussing the impact of teacher shortages

Forty seven of Mississippi's 152 school districts do not have enough qualified teachers in the classroom. This morning in our continuing series, "Mississippi's Critical Teacher Shortage," MPB's Lawayne Childrey takes us to the Wilkinson County School District and examines why it's so hard to keep good teachers.

The summer break is usually a time to relax and unwind for most school officials. But in the Wilkinson County School District, where they need 16 highly qualified teachers, with at least a bachelors degree, state certification and a proven record that they know the subjects they teach. Superintendent Timothy Scott says summer is shaping up to be anything but a breeze.

“We are really in panic mode because the governor hadn’t signed the budget. Then if the governor hadn’t signed the budget we don’t know exactly how many teachers we can actually hire. And then we don’t know who’s actually coming back.”

Wilkinson county is located in the southwestern corner of the Mississippi bordering the state of Louisiana. Because of Louisiana's higher teacher salaries and close proximity, many teachers are lured away. Willie Mcrae, Principle of Wilkinson Middle School says at least 7 new teachers have come to the area, worked for a school year and moved on to other cities and states.

“And when they leave you gotta start all over again.”

The Wilkinson county school district is comprised of three towns, of Woodville, Centerville and Crosby Principle MCrae doesn't believe much will change to attract and retain teachers in the area until new industry can be brought in. He says more industry would create a larger tax base and that could mean higher salaries for teachers.

“Everybody in the state of Mississippi if you got a BS degree with five years the state gone pay you the same amount of money. But depends on the district you live in to what the supplement or the additional salary is gonna be. Teachers can get paid but we cannot always give pay raises.”

“Teachers are leaving because of money and it’s the attitude. Students are worse now…”

Several veteran teachers sat around a table in the Wilkinson High School Library, expressing their frustrations about the system. For Special Education teacher, Debra Jones it goes beyond pay.

“You know you come in the class room you could say something and the student would do whatever you say. But now you say something, ah yeah, you know they whooping and hollering like we the children some of ‘em. And their parents agree with them.”

According to the Department of Education, nearly half of the new teachers in Mississippi quit in the first five years...citing frustrations over student discipline and lack of administrative support. Middle School principle, Willie Mcrae calls that a copout.

“I think it goes back to teacher preparation. The preparation is not there and they cannot entertain students. And if you can’t entertain that student with instruction whether it be the arts or the science they gone entertain you with behavioral problems.”

Parental apathy, inadequate housing and limited opportunities can also impact a teachers decision about locating to a rural town. That's why the state offers incentive packages such to entice teachers to come to areas such as, Wilkinson County and other rural parts of the state. But even with thousands of dollars going towards hiring and training new teachers, Rosie Wilson, who works with the districts budgeting office says the Wilkinson County School District, is getting the short end of the deal.

“We train them, we get them highly qualified and they move on. We see this every year. So we are continuing to spend our money to train teachers to go other place. So we’re still left in the same rut, with a big teacher shortage.”

Unless the teacher exodus is stopped, superintendent Scott believes the entire system is setting itself up for failure.

“Guess what, prisons are over flowing. And my old saying is if we don’t invest now, we’re gonna pay later. If we don’t have teachers to teach our children we won’t have productive citizens. If we don’t have productive citizens we won’t have productive communities.”

Last year nearly 2,600 Mississippi teachers were not highly qualified in the subjects they were teaching. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.