University of Wyoming Dean of Education, Dean Ray Reutzal says the state of Wyoming could soon see a statewide teacher shortage, and says that some school districts are already affected.
He said that the Department of Education program at UW had fallen by 25% in the last few years.
Reutzal told the Casper Star-Tribune that open teacher positions used to have “dozens of candidates,” and now it’s down to a “handful.”
Reutzal told reporters that possible solutions in his opinion include putting teacher interns in the classroom, moving away from reliance on fossil fuels in Wyoming, and raising teacher salaries.
He pointed out that teacher salaries average about $58,000 per year in Wyoming, which is above the national average. But, he said, salaries have been stagnant in recent years.