teachers

Oregon’s efforts to diversify its teaching workforce are going better than other states. But the Beaver State’s recent gains in licensing educators from underrepresented groups could begin to dwindle in 2026 due to possible budget cuts.

While the state average is 20.6% per district, nearly two-thirds of districts are above the average.

Many school districts are struggling with teacher shortages, especially in rural areas. A recent study in California explored why.

Courtney Marx has taught transitional kindergarten at the Mount Shasta Union School District in California for two years.

Meanwhile, substitute teachers across Oregon say districts haven't paid them for time they spent taking mandatory training.

As California moves to require dyslexia screening in public schools, experts say teachers need to embrace the “science of reading” approach that emphasizes phonics.

In some Oregon districts, teacher recruiting efforts start early – often when future teachers are still in high school.

The new salary scale makes Baker among the best paying districts in a state where the average starting salary is $39,000, according to the Oregon Education Association. The move is making waves as the Legislature mulls a statewide salary floor.

California has had a surge in new teacher credentials in recent years, a reversal of the downward trend of the previous 10 years, but the teacher shortage isn't over quite yet.

This school year the California transitional kindergarten program began expanding to eventually include all 4-year-olds. But amidst a teacher shortage, some school districts had to move teachers already on staff or lure staff away from preschool programs.

A program at Western Oregon University is designed to create new opportunities for diverse teachers in Oregon and to get them back into local classrooms.

Officials in California are trying a range of approaches to deal with the state's teacher shortage.