Will Teach for Food

Budgets are tight in districts, but the new teacher pipeline keeps pumping 'em out. The result: you'll likely get the credential, but not the job to use it in. From the Longview Daily News:

Only one student from Mack and Scott's program has a job for next year. At least seven of their graduating class of 14 members are searching for jobs locally.

Mack and Scott want to stay local because they have children. "I may have to open it up further," Mack said.

"There are more elementary teachers looking for jobs than there are positions available," said John Vencill, human resources director in with the Longview School District.

Districts have lower enrollment projections and higher teacher salaries to pay due to state increases that must be given even to teachers who are not paid through state funding, Vencill said.

Longview has hired four new elementary teachers for next year, but due to funding shortages Vencill is reluctant to fill more positions until, "we have the kids in the seats and need to teach them," he said.

Kelso's hiring has been even more tenuous, as the district expects to make more cuts in June to balance the budget, finance director Jim Biwer said.

Lotsa luck, graduates. You're going to need it.