VERSAILLES, Ky. (LEX 18) — A statewide reports show Kentucky's longtime teacher shortage only continuing to worsen, a 'Teacher Shortage Summit' brought together educators in search of solutions.
Superintendents, teachers and human resources professionals attended to hear from panelists and hear from a lawmaker, Kentucky Rep. Killian Timoney.
BloomBoard, a professional development organization for educators, hosted the event at the Kentucky Castle Wednesday morning.
"I think it really comes down to the fact that we shouldn't really have a teacher shortage," said BloomBoard founder and president, Jason Lange. "At the end of the day, we know that there are a lot of people who want to be teachers and would be great teachers. We just need to figure out how to get them better access into the system."
District leaders discussed ways in which they've made changes to incentivize new hires, such as pay increases, improving benefits and emphasizing work culture.
Timoney encouraged educators to get in touch with lawmakers in Kentucky and share their own suggestions and stories, to encourage more support from Frankfort.
A report from the Legislative Research Commission found 10.9% of teachers stopped teaching in Kentucky in 2023, even as wages have increased pay by up to 19% in the last five years.
Teachers from across Kentucky said they've seen the impacts of the shortage for themselves and fear what could happen if it worsens.
"I think that teachers have so much to give, so much to offer students," said Emily Knight, a longtime special education teacher in Campbell County. "It could be really bad. It could be detrimental to their well-being, making real-world connections."
