Teacher advocacy groups says public education is essential to the continued growth of the state of South Carolina. However, the Palmetto State has a teacher shortage, with a lack of substantial pay for educators being identified as the main cause.
“The pay gap in South Carolina compared to other states shows that we are going to have a recruitment and retention problem with teachers in South Carolina,” said Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Educators Association.
According to a report by the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA), South Carolina districts reported 1,613 vacant positions at the start of the 2023-2024 school year compared to the 1,474 vacancies the previous year, which is a 9% increase.
The report also determined that there is a high teacher turnover rate. CERRA officials said on average more than 7,000 certified educators in SC public school districts left their teaching or service position each year.
Departures are considered teachers who retired, transferred to another district, moved into a non-teaching or administrative position, or left the state or profession altogether.
The Palmetto State Teacher Association draws a direct correlation between educator departures and the long-term academic success of students.
"No other in-school factor has a greater influence on student academic achievement than access to a high-quality teacher, and strong relationships with caring educators strongly benefit student safety and well-being," the group said in a statement. "However, across South Carolina, educator shortages are depriving tens of thousands of students from daily access to quality teaching.
The 2024 SC House budget includes raises for teachers and state workers. Under the bill, $200 million would be put towards increasing teacher pay, including the minimum salary for a starting teacher to $47,000 a year.
A task force last year made a series of recommendations for recruiting and retaining teachers, including raising the minimum starting salary to at least $50,000 annually by fiscal year 2026. This is a number that Gov. McMaster's proposed executive budget continues to work toward.
An analysis by My Elearning World reports educators are making 20% less than they were 20 years ago due to factors such as inflation.
