Education K-12 and the Shortage of Teachers 1. Introduction: Policy Problem

In South Carolina State, the share of educators quitting their posts per annum (6,500 in number, in the year 2016) is much higher as compared to that of teacher-program graduates available to occupy those vacant posts (1,700, for the year 2016). The state’s teacher-training enrollment has been dwindling at four percent, averagely, a year. From 2009 to 2014, a thirty-five percent drop was witnessed in teacher education enrollment, to 451,000 from 691,000. This represents a decline of nearly 240,000 graduates in 2014 from the 2009 figures (Sutcher, Darling-Hammond & Carver-Thomas, 2016). The state’s dearth of qualified educators, particularly in rural, impoverished areas and within the disciplines of science and mathematics, has grown so acute that long-term economic growth as well as education quality has suffered statewide (The Citadel, 2017). In this paper, the State of South Carolina will be compared against Rhode Island and Florida with regard to K-12 educator shortage, difference in educator-shortage outcomes and decisions on the basis of political culture, public opinion, and partisan balance, and the most effective policy change alternative for South Carolina.

1.1. History

Educator shortage is no new occurrence; a majority of states in the nation have been reporting instances of shortage since nearly the past three decades. However, the issue has intensified of late with the teaching profession challenged by the problems of inadequate salaries resulting in decreased morale, unjust assessment techniques, high-stakes examination prerequisites, due-process rights being attacked, and scarce resources, to name a few (Strauss, 2017). An analysis of a vast research pool on educator retention and recruitment gives rise to the following 5 key factors and associated policies that impact an educator’s decision of entering, remaining in, or quitting their jobs; (1) Overall compensation, including basic pay, (2) Entry and preparation expenses, (3) Fresh recruits’ support and induction (4) Hiring and employee management, and (5) Work conditions, which include school leadership, accountability systems, collective decision-making and collaboration between professionals, and learning and teaching resources (Podolsky et al., 2016; Strauss, 2017). At South Carolina State level as well as the federal level, one will find an absence of an explicit policy to deal with the issue of educator shortage.

1.2. Recent policy

On 18th August, 2017, South Carolinian educational sector stakeholders met up and put forward recommendations directed at the state’s higher education commission and education department to be implemented as countermeasures for addressing the state’s educator shortage issue (Daniel et al., 2017). These included; (1) Provision of speedy pilot initiative approval enabling conditional educator certification, and subsequent full credentialing following years of working as an educator and after having demonstrated success and teaching efficacy according to Praxis subject evaluation, (2) Working with the state legislator and governor for appreciably increasing funds for Call Me Mister, Teaching Fellows, and similar evidence-based initiatives, (3) Development of a strong message effectively outlining requirements, (4) Development of several certification...

No recent federal policy effort has been made with respect to addressing this issue, perhaps owing to the fact that a majority of education-connected programs are local or state level programs.
1.3. Significance of the problem

The state’s dearth of qualified educators has grown so acute that long-term economic growth as well as education quality has suffered statewide. Teacher-training college enrollment decreases have aggravated the issue (Podolsky et al., 2016).

1.4. Additional information for robust analysis

Current as well as old empirical studies and anecdotes reveal educator dearth differences among the states of Florida, Rhode Island and South Carolina (Dee & Goldhaber, 2016). The studies notably suggest that the issue of a lack of educators is generally more acute in schools for rural communities, the economically-disadvantaged, and minority populations.

2. Comparative analysis of the states of South Carolina, Florida, and Rhose Island

a. Political culture

South Carolina’s political culture appears to be largely traditionalistic, with its agricultural society (thanks to African slaves) resulting in an aristocracy that facilitated the development of such a culture marked by a power hierarchy (Mercantini, 2007). Likewise, Florida’s culture is also traditionalistic in nature. But Rhode Island’s political culture is individualistic in nature, perceiving the government to be a mechanism aimed at dealing with issues which matter to citizens and at achieving individual objectives (Elazar, 1972).

b. Local governments

South Carolinian local governments are both special- (e.g., school districts) and general- purpose (municipalities and counties) in nature (Pierce & Thomas, 2000). Floridian local governments are of 3 kinds: counties, special districts and municipalities. The former elects a commissioner board for formulating county laws and running the county’s government. Further, towns and cities establish governing bodies and the state institutes special districts and municipal governments for governing areas which may incorporate two or more counties. Rhode Island possesses seventy-five special districts, thirty-one townships, and eight municipalities.

c. Structure of state legislatures

All 3 states’ legislatures comprise of an upper Senate and a lower House of Representatives (Fiorina, 1994).

d. State judicial systems

The unified judicial structure of South Carolina State comprises of magistrates courts, family courts, circuit courts and, as the highest-ranked court of appeals – a supreme court. Meanwhile, the Floridian court system encompasses a Supreme Court, county courts, district appellate courts, and circuit courts. Lastly, Rhode Island’s judicial structure comprises its Supreme Court, as well as trial courts (superior court, family court, district court, traffic tribunal, family court, and employee compensation court) (Burnham, 2016).

e. Geographic areas (urban/rural states)

South Carolina State has the following 6 physical regions: Coastal Zone, Blue Ridge area, Inner and Outer Coastal Plains, Sandhills, and Piedmont. Meanwhile, Florida is…