This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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 have watched with interest the information the Trib has published about the new alternative path for professionals to become teachers, and something has come to mind.
In basic economics, learned ironically in high school, supply and demand are very important. As demand increases for a product, the price goes up to encourage businesses to make more of the product, hence balancing the equation. It seems that the teacher shortage is, at least in part, an issue of supply shortages.
Teachers are poorly paid, in fact my older brother has tried to discourage me from becoming a teacher because of the poor pay, long hours and stifling bureaucracy.
The rule in our society is if you want to make money, you don't become a teacher, especially a K-12 teacher.
While there are more than just salary troubles plaguing the profession, it is certainly one of the most direct to solve. Offer competitive pay for the education level required to teach, and more people will consider investing their expensive college degree in teaching. It is not a catch-all solution for every problem schools face, but if you want more people applying for teaching positions, make it more valuable to be a teacher!
Landon Troester
Murray