Louisiana’s teacher shortage: School leaders identify problems and solutions

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Teachers are still feeling the effects of the pandemic years later, contributing to reduced retention rates and the teacher shortage in Louisiana and across the country.

Charity Leblanc, school-to-work coordinator and Union representative at Salmen High School in St. Tammany Parish, says time is one of the biggest factors contributing to teacher stress.

“I dealt with some things this morning that someone didn’t get done in a timely manner, kind of fell on me, I had to take care of it at the last minute. If there was a better way and a better system for that, it would’ve worked itself out,” Leblanc said.

According to the National Education Association, 80% of teachers report having to take on extra tasks to make up for staffing shortages.

Leblanc says the extra tasks coupled with a lack of support causes teachers to reach a breaking point.

“Everybody has 50 things to do, and trying to manage all of that is very difficult,” Leblanc said. “I’ve seen people leave in a couple of months because this is not what they thought it was.”

East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Chief of Human Resources Dr. Nichola Hall suggests having additional in-classroom staff could take some tasks off teacher’s plates.

“They just want to be teachers, they just want to teach and nurture folks to be successful, so if anything, I could do from that lens, that would be the biggest impact is how much more support can we put, physical support in the classroom,” Dr. Hall said.

With all the burdens placed on teachers, Dr. Hall emphasizes the importance of uplifting teachers. East Baton Rouge School System is hosting its annual Spring Fling Recruitment Fair on Saturday.

“Part of the celebration is recognizing, so tomorrow at Spring Fling, we will have a fitness instructor there to work us out, smoothies will be on deck, along with yogurt,” Dr. Hall said.

Dr. Hall hopes more gestures like these will remind teachers of their impact on the next generation.

East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Spring Fling Recruitment Fair is Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jefferson Terrace Academy, 5601 Upton Drive.

Applicants should bring a resume, reference letters, official transcripts, and certifications. To register, click here.

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