Does the Independence School District Have a Teacher Shortage Problem? 2022 Data Update

In a previous post, I presented 2018 and 2020 application and vacancy data from the Independence School District. The data were obtained from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and contain information regarding the number of job openings, applications, and positions left unfilled. In that post, I stated that the data we received were from 2018 to 2021. That was incorrect. The data also contained information for 2022. Unfortunately, we inadvertently dropped those data when we merged the dataset with district demographic data that did not contain 2022.

As I previously discussed, the Independence School District cited teacher shortages as a reason for moving to a four-day school week. My goal in the presentation of application and vacancy data is to give the public a better sense of what Independence means when they say “shortage.”

The 2022 data reveals a clear drop-off in the number of applications for job openings.

In 2018, the district had 2,485 applications for 162 job openings (15.3 applications per vacancy).

In 2020, the district had 1,878 applications for 138 job openings (13.6 applications per vacancy).

In 2022, the number of applications clearly dropped. The district received 967 applications for 161 jobs (6 applications per vacancy).

Per DESE guidelines, the district reports the level of shortage on a 1 to 5 scale, where 4 and 5 indicate shortages. Despite having fewer applications, the district reported fewer areas of shortages (7 certification areas rated 4 or 5, compared to 10 in 2018 and 2020). Just one certification area, industrial technology, was rated as a level 5. The district had 3 applications for 2 job openings, but only 1 application was from an appropriately certified individual.

Despite the decline in applications, the district had zero vacancies left vacant in 2022.

I should note, the district did see an increase in the number of positions filled with individuals who were not appropriately certified. In both 2018 and 2020, the district filled two positions with such teachers. In 2022, the district filled 12 positions with teachers without the appropriate certification.

We should note that “not appropriately certified” is a broad category. It includes, for instance, hiring an individual who is certified to teach high-school math to teach middle-school math where they are not certified. A certified teacher could simply take and pass a certification area test in another area to obtain this additional certification. “Not appropriately certified” may also include individuals who do not have an education degree, but are working toward certification. We do not know the full credentials of the individuals hired by Independence.

The Independence School District is clearly experiencing a decline in the number of applications received. Nevertheless, according to DESE’s definition of a shortage, “fewer applicants than positions available,” the Independence School District did not have one shortage area in 2022.

There are a couple more numbers that readers should consider when considering the severity of the supposed shortage in Independence. From 2018 to 2021, district enrollment declined by 576 students. Yet, the number of full-time equivalent teachers increased by 22.

I repeat the questions asked in my first post. Based on these numbers, what do you think? Does the Independence School District have a teacher shortage? And is that shortage severe enough to justify a move to a four-day school week?