Article Summary –
Montana’s public school system is facing a significant teacher shortage with 853 active job postings for various licensed positions as of August 1, 2024. The state has been increasingly relying on provisional licensing and emergency authorizations—176 such authorizations were issued last year—to fill these roles. To support and retain new teachers, the Alliance for Curriculum Enhancement is hosting a “boot camp” for early career teachers and launching a mentoring program in collaboration with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
As of Aug. 1, the Office of Public Instruction’s employment portal listed 853 active job postings for licensed public school positions in Montana. The listings include teachers, counselors, administrators, and paraprofessionals across various school districts, including some redundant or recently filled positions.
With the 2024-25 school year approaching, Montana schools face the ongoing teacher shortage. Many districts have resorted to provisional licensing and emergency authorizations to address the lack of qualified applicants. Last year, the state issued 176 emergency employment authorizations.
Education leaders are increasingly focusing on retention. The Alliance for Curriculum Enhancement is hosting an inaugural “boot camp” this week at Lockwood High School near Billings for approximately 125 early career teachers. Executive Director Jenny Combs said the training aims to help new teachers, particularly those under emergency authorizations, develop essential classroom management skills.
Additionally, the organization is launching a mentoring program this fall in collaboration with researchers from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
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