Letter: Two approaches for addressing the teacher shortage in North Dakota

The Forum reported on Sept. 10th that Gov. Burgum will create a task force to address North Dakota’s teacher shortage. The 15 members will “be tasked with increasing recruitment, reviewing licensure procedures and teacher contracts, and improving working conditions,” according to the article.

In my eyes, there are two paths to consider when addressing the teacher shortage.

Option #1:

Lower the professional and educational standards in what it takes to become a teacher in North Dakota

. The pros of option one: an increase in “qualified” educators to help fill the current shortage of teachers, next to no additional spending, and more immediacy in addressing the shortage. The cons of option one: a high volume of candidates with little to no formal teacher education background, negative impact on students’ educational experiences, and even more significant turnover than what is already seen in the profession (in my experience, the feeling of being unprepared and overwhelmed only catalyzes the trek towards burnout).

Option #2: Commit to making North Dakota a desired state in which to teach and make teaching a career path that is once again sought by our young people through supporting teachers in all of the ways they need. The pros of option two: highly-qualified teachers are not only drawn to teach in North Dakota, but also desire to stay here, future generations of workers see education as a career pathway financially and personally worth pursuing, and over time, the teacher shortage and retention issue heals. The cons of option two: it will require money, both to pay educators wages that are appealing (to current and future educators) and to provide teachers the support they need, it will take more time versus option one to see a fix to the shortage issues, and the immediate shortage may not be fixed through this option.

Which option will the task force make? To me, one is a pill to address the side-effects without addressing the root cause of the issue. The other is a holistic approach to fixing the issue itself, relieving us of the negative impacts as a result. Luckily, North Dakota has the means (see: Legacy Fund) to choose either.

Staffing shortages at your favorite restaurant may cause earlier closing times or slower service. Checkout times at the grocery store may take longer. Staffing shortages at your children’s school, though, can have lifelong educational impacts. I look forward to seeing the outcome of this task force’s work.

Keith Lehman, Fargo, is a former member of The Forum’s Readers Board.