Teacher shortage in Northeast Louisiana reaches critical level

Louisiana has a major teacher shortage and in northeast Louisiana, it's reaching a critical level.

Officials here are trying to get more teachers in classrooms, but they say Northeast Louisiana is not attracting teachers.

"We are desperately searching for new teachers," said Sandie Lollie, President of Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

She says in Northeast Louisiana more teachers are leaving than coming.

"Most of our teachers now are retirement age and as they leave, not enough new teachers are coming in," said Lollie.

Lollie says areas that lack housing and entertainment is not attracting people.

"Teaching is a very difficult career at this point in time, the low salaries also the fact that we have to do so much paperwork and we have to discipline in schools,” said Lollie. “There are so many variables now that just do not lend itself to teaching."

Especially in areas that don't have many resources.

"Those rural areas are looking for competent teachers just as any other district," said Leonard Clark, the director of education at ULM.

He says we need instructors in math, science, technology and some areas of special education.

Clark says the university along with Grambling and Louisiana Tech are partnering with local school districts.

He says the program encourages students to finish school and build relationships with the districts.

"And we're talking about these kinds of things and how we might meet the needs of the districts especially the rural districts," said Clark.

Clark says it's a discussion that's long overdue, "If we have everybody talking about that and we get an audience with our legislatures and so on then I think it becomes more of an important conversation."

State officials are recruiting high school graduates to pursue a career in education.

Meanwhile, Wednesday the state will announce a new recruitment effort.