This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I believe that the rapid turnover of teachers in Utah and the lack of replacements is the direct consequence of overcrowded classrooms and low wages.
As a substitute teacher for the Granite School District, I am sometimes amazed that anyone would want to teach in Utah. Class size is upwards of 40 students per class. Some schools have seven classes a day. Some teachers have one period as a planning period.
However, since there is a shortage of teachers, some teachers supplement their incomes by working during their planning periods. Seven periods times 40 students result in 280 papers to grade. These teachers have only one break a day, a 30 minute lunch.
My experience in the Granite School District gives me the greatest admiration for the teachers and for the students ... and a real understanding why teachers are leaving and why others are not entering this noble profession.
Ted Ottinger
Taylorsville