Southwest
Nationwide teacher shortages leave school districts relying on alternative solutions
![Nationwide teacher shortages leave school districts relying on alternative solutions Nationwide teacher shortages leave school districts relying on alternative solutions](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-10-at-2.53.26-PM.png)
MESA, Ariz. – Districts nationwide are shortening school weeks and packing more students into classrooms because there aren’t enough teachers. Arizona is just one state where almost a quarter of their teaching jobs are consistently vacant.
School districts are fighting to fill some of those jobs in Arizona and half of the time they are filled by people who aren’t properly certified.
Representatives for school districts in the Phoenix-area say they’ve been feeling this shortage for almost a decade, and there’s no end in sight.
School districts in Arizona have felt the teacher shortage for almost a decade. (Littleton School District)
“Do I want to pay off my student loans? Yes. Would I like to take a vacation? Yes. Do I not want to work every summer without fail or every winter break to pay my bills? Am I living paycheck to paycheck? Yeah,” said Littleton School District new teacher mentor Cassandra Lockard.
Cassandra Lockard taught for 16 years, but she says on a teacher’s low salary, she’ll probably never be able to pay off her debt.
![students working at a desk](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715876561_567_Nationwide-teacher-shortages-leave-school-districts-relying-on-alternative-solutions.png)
Arizona needed 7,500 teachers at the start of last school year. (Littleton School District)
GROWING NUMBER OF TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION ACROSS THE US DUE TO BURNOUT, LOW PAY
Lockard is certified to teach history, but last year, she had to step up and teach science to 55 students.
“It was intense. Did they pass the state science test? No, no they didn’t, because how am I going to get 55 kids on my own to pass the state’s science test? I am not currently certified, you know, in being a science teacher,” said Lockard.
CALIFORNIA BILL PUSHES SCHOOLS TO DOLE OUT LESS HOMEWORK TO MITIGATE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Some states where more than half their school districts have a tough time filling school vacancies include Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Florida and Michigan.
At the start of the last school year, Arizona needed about 7,500 teachers still. The state relies on uncertified teachers to fill the void.
![A teacher holding up a card](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715876561_950_Nationwide-teacher-shortages-leave-school-districts-relying-on-alternative-solutions.png)
About 20-25% of teacher positions remain vacant annually in Arizona. (Mesa Public Schools)
“When you have a teacher shortage, you have teachers that are not as qualified. And then you see, in many cases, a correlating decline in data, which is a concern for everybody. Oh, the kids aren’t doing so well. Well, if you’re not going to pay us, and you can’t find anybody to put in the classroom, data is going to drop. That’s a given,” said Lockard.
As one solution to lessening the shortage, some school districts have created an alternative route to become teachers.
CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION UNDER FIRE FOR $50B DEMANDS AS ACADEMIC PLUMMET: ‘MOST RADICAL AGENDA YET’
“Out of those 7,500, about 4,000 of them were filled by alternative means. Alternative means they were on an alternative pathway, a change of career. So they may be in the business setting, or they got a college degree in another field,” said Mesa Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of HR Justin Wing.
![Students raising hands in front of teacher](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715876562_937_Nationwide-teacher-shortages-leave-school-districts-relying-on-alternative-solutions.png)
Mesa Public Schools have an alternative pathway for individuals to become teachers. (Mesa Public Schools)
Wing says this pathway removes financial and time barriers for individuals who want to become teachers.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX NEWS
“We’re in our second year of hosting our own certification program. So if you have a degree in another field, you can be a teacher tomorrow. And we’re going to heavily invest in you and support you to be the best teacher possible. And after you complete our two-year program, now you have all the teacher credentials,” said Wing. “The Arizona Department of Education will be giving them a full teacher certificate, a 12-year teacher certificate.”
School districts around the country are also hiring internationally to help with the teacher shortage.
Read the full article from Here
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Southwest
Who is Mark Kelly? What to know about the senator from Arizona and possible VP pick
![Who is Mark Kelly? What to know about the senator from Arizona and possible VP pick Who is Mark Kelly? What to know about the senator from Arizona and possible VP pick](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mark-Kelly.jpg)
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, is rumored to be under consideration to serve as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
Kelly, a 60-year-old former astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, has represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate since 2020.
Kelly was elected to the Senate in a 2020 special election that was held following the death of longtime Republican Sen. John McCain in 2018, defeating incumbent GOP Sen. Martha McSally.
A native of Orange, New Jersey, Kelly graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1986. He later attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, receiving a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering in 1994.
ARIZONA SENATE CANDIDATE SAYS MARK KELLY WOULD GIVE HARRIS ‘JOLT’ AS VP
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks with reporters on July 25, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Kelly became a naval aviator in 1987 and was assigned to Attack Squadron 115 in Japan. He made two deployments and flew nearly 40 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm.
He received an array of commendations for his service in the military and retired from the Navy in October 2011. At the time, he wrote in a post on social media, “From the day I entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the summer of 1982 to the moment I landed the Space Shuttle Endeavour three weeks ago, it has been my privilege to advance the ideals that define the United States of America.”
Along with his identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, he was selected by NASA to serve as a space shuttle pilot in 1996.
Kelly, who took numerous trips beyond Earth’s atmosphere during his illustrious career as an astronaut, has reportedly logged more than 54 days in space.
Kelly, an independent turned Democrat in 2018, is the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who he married in 2007.
Following the attempted assassination attempt of Giffords in 2012, Kelly shied away from public life to assist with his wife’s recovery efforts.
He is also the author of multiple books, including one he co-authored with Giffords in 2012 titled, “Enough: Our Fight to Keep America Safe from Gun Violence.”
HARRIS EDGES CLOSER TO TRUMP IN NEW POLL CONDUCTED AFTER BIDEN’S WITHDRAWAL
![Mark-Kelly,-Kamala-Harris](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1722030631_505_Who-is-Mark-Kelly-What-to-know-about-the-senator.jpg)
Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to swear in Sen. Mark Kelly, D-riz., with his wife Gabrielle Giffords, center, in the old Senate Chamber for the Ceremonial Swearing on Jan. 3, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
In January 2013, Kelly and Giffords launched a political action committee named Americans for Responsible Solutions. The organization’s mission promoted what it believed to be solutions to gun violence with elected lawmakers and members of the public.
He won re-election to the Senate in November 2022, when he defeated Republican nominee Blake Masters.
Kelly is not the first astronaut to be elected to Congress. Others include John Glenn, Harrison Schmitt and Jack Swigert.
He is viewed by many political strategists, primarily Democrats, as a safe move for Harris as she considers who will appear alongside her on the November ballot.
Three days after President Biden announced his decision to step aside in the 2024 race for the White House, Kelly fielded questions from reporters in the hallways of the U.S. Capitol, where he was asked whether he would accept the vice presidential nomination.
“This is not about me. This is about the future of this country,” Kelly said at the time.
![Kamala Harris speaks at her Presidential Campaign headquarters in Wilmington](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1722030631_230_Who-is-Mark-Kelly-What-to-know-about-the-senator.jpg)
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at her presidential campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 22, 2024. (Erin Schaff/Pool via REUTERS)
“This is a choice between Kamala Harris, who’s an experienced prosecutor, vice president, U.S. senator, [California] attorney general, and a guy who’s a convicted felon,” Kelly added.
Kelly also predicted, following Biden’s drop out, that Harris “is going to win” the state of Arizona in the 2024 election.
Read the full article from Here
Los Angeles, Ca
Iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel to light up for Team USA
![Iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel to light up for Team USA Iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel to light up for Team USA](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/07/Pacific-Park%C2%B9s-Ferris-Wheel-2024-Summer-Games-American-Flag-Photo-Image-by-@dougbasscomedy.jpg?w=900)
The iconic Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier will light up nightly during the Paris Olympics to cheer on Team USA beginning Friday.
The nightly light display will feature the five colored rings to symbolize the Olympic rings, a 90-foot-tall waving American flag to celebrate Team USA, a French flag for the current host country and the American flag to represent the games returning to the United States, specifically Los Angeles in 2028.
The Ferris wheel will be lit up from sunset until 12:30 a.m.
The Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, featuring 174,000 LED lights mounted on its 40 spokes and two hubs. The wheel’s lighting system features 16.7 million color value combinations to display dynamic, custom, computer-generated lighting entertainment, according to a news release.
Visitors can visit the theme park from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. to catch a ride on the nine-story carnival ride, which takes riders to heights of more than 130 feet over the Pacific Ocean.
If you can’t make it out to the Santa Monica Pier yourself, Pacific Park offers an online stream of the Ferris wheel.
Los Angeles, Ca
Security guard attacked, hit with skateboard in Santa Ana
![Security guard attacked, hit with skateboard in Santa Ana Security guard attacked, hit with skateboard in Santa Ana](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/07/Santa-Ana-skateboard-assault.png?w=900)
Police asked the public for help this week in their search for a man who attacked a Target security guard with a skateboard in Santa Ana last month.
The altercation occurred on June 10, when the security guard asked a trespassing suspect to leave the store located at 1441 W. 17th Street, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
“The suspect struck the victim multiple times with his skateboard, causing injuries, and then fled the store,” the Police Department stated in a post on Instagram.
Video embedded on the post shows the suspect swinging a skateboard at the guard and then running out of the store.
The attacker was described as a White man between 18 and 25 years old. He had a thin build, curly blonde hair, and was wearing a black sweatshirt, light-colored shirt, blue plaid shorts, black socks and black shoes.
Anyone with information was asked to call police at 714-245-8441.
-
World1 week ago
One dead after car crashes into restaurant in Paris
-
Midwest1 week ago
Michigan rep posts video response to Stephen Colbert's joke about his RNC speech: 'Touché'
-
News1 week ago
Video: Young Republicans on Why Their Party Isn’t Reaching Gen Z (And What They Can Do About It)
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
Movie Review: A new generation drives into the storm in rousing ‘Twisters’
-
News1 week ago
In Milwaukee, Black Voters Struggle to Find a Home With Either Party
-
Politics1 week ago
Fox News Politics: The Call is Coming from Inside the House
-
News1 week ago
Video: J.D. Vance Accepts Vice-Presidential Nomination
-
World1 week ago
Trump to take RNC stage for first speech since assassination attempt