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October 12, 2000 Iowa
faces teacher shortage, By
Deniece Wilson DES MOINES, Iowa--Many schools nationwide have been complaining of a shortage of teachers for their schools. Some communities are so desperate for good teachers they have started to look overseas to recruit teachers. Iowa faces the problem, too, but is trying hard to solve the situation. Brenda Easter, director of special programs for the Iowa College Student Aid Comission, said the shortage is a result of the significant number of teachers nearing retirement age. "In the next five years, most of the 'baby boom' generation will be getting ready to go on retirement," Easter said. "So until we have enough teachers to replace them when they leave, there will be a tremendous shortage of teachers in the schools." Easter said to combat the situation, the Iowa Department of Education came up with a teacher forgivable loan plan. She said, "This loan is targeted specifically for Iowa residents who are presently in eligible Iowa colleges/universities, and they must be able to teach in an Iowa shortage area." This loan was intended to ensure there will be teachers in Iowa schools in the areas that need them the most. The shortage areas in Iowa consist of nine areas under special education, such as K-12 behavior disorders, K-12 mental disabilities and K-6 learning disabilities. It also consists of 11 areas under regular education, such as K-12 counselor, 7-12 health and K-12 principal. Students who are eligible and participate in this program can have 100 percent of their loan forgiven provided they teach in one of the shortage areas for five years. For each year of the five-year service obligation fulfilled, 20 percent of the forgivable loan is deducted. James Romig, Drake University interim dean of education, said more than 50 percent of teachers and 75 percent of the administrators are up for retirement in the next two to 10 years. "Iowa is hit hard for administrators because the baby boomers are nearing retirement," Romig said. Romig said he felt political manipulation on the part of the governor and other state leaders played a part ithe present teacher shortage. "They [government] have known for the past five to six years that there would be a shortage if major steps were not taken to prevent this present dilemma. In this present situation, the math and science departments are going to be hardest hit," Romig said. Romig said Drake has been able to keep most of its graduates in Iowa. He said, "Drake has attacked this teacher shortage issue by expanding enrollment and the recent implementation of a $2,000 per semester Drake scholarship for students who pursue education studies." According to Romig, the greater Des Moines area schools do a good job in recruiting recent graduates, but the schools in smaller towns have major problems in recruiting. Romig said, "Smaller towns don't have the resources that the greater Des Moines area has and as a result they can't afford to give starting students as good a salary and benefits package as some of the Des Moines schools."
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