Oct. 2022: Starting before the pandemic and continuing over the past few years, schools and education advocates in Oregon and nationwide have rung the alarm bells about a growing teacher shortage.
They’ve cited low pay, a negative perception of public education, increased workloads and a long list of requirements outside their job descriptions.
But an investigation by the Statesman Journal and Register-Guard found that while local teachers are dealing with many of those issues, the Willamette Valley is not so much facing a teacher shortage as it is a support staff shortage.
In fact, the number of teachers in the area’s largest districts has continued to grow while student numbers have declined.
Read the full investigation here.
Natalie Pate 