Career and Technical Education Instructors are Leaving Faster Than They Can Be Replaced, CTE Board Says

“We’re losing instructors, and as we lose instructors we’re losing programs.” That was Joane Murphy, chair of the Board of Career and Technical Education, remarking on the difficulties the board is facing when it comes to retaining teaching talent.

Ms. Murphy was responding to a question about priorities from representatives of the Education Development Center, a global nonprofit established to provide technical support and expertise to education officials across various niches. The discussion occurred during a Thursday meeting of the CTE Board, at which EDC officials were present to hear the board members’ concerns in order to potentially seek federal funding for programs designed to address the articulated challenges.

The instructor shortage permeates all industry areas, but is most particularly acute in the construction and medical sectors, Ms. Murphy indicated.

Another major issue, raised by board member and former senator Genevieve Whitaker, lies in the board’s lack of adequate financial resources with which to support instructors. “We would like to be in a better position where we can provide funding to some of our teachers when they reach a roadblock with administrators,” she said. “Many times, we have a situation where a teacher needs some resources for their classroom…so they come to the board, and we typically don’t have."