Teaching Not Quite So Recession-Proof, After All

North Texas school districts are hiring less teachers

Updated 3:46 PM CDT, Sun, Jul 19, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

New teachers hunting for their first job are finding this is one of the toughest summers for hiring.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that many North Texas school districts aren't hiring as many teachers as before because of the recession.

In Arlington, school officials expect to hire 200 teachers, half of their usual number. Fort Worth officials plan to only hire about a third of the typical 900 hired each summer.

Terry Buckner, who has recruited for the Fort Worth district for 13 years, told the newspaper this year's hires are the least amount of teachers he has ever hired.

School districts need to make cuts because of leaner budgets.

Arlington officials are changing the teacher-student ratio at the district's secondary schools, saving $6.7 million. The move is the main reason behind why the district is hiring half as many teachers as usual.

There are also fewer jobs available outside of education, so companies aren't luring teachers away to the private sector.

Schools officials said teachers also are staying in the classroom because of spouses or other family members being laid off.

But Mary Martin Patton, the dean of Texas Christian University's College of Education, told the Star-Telegram this year's tough job market is just "a blip, not a pattern."

She said a looming teacher shortage is on the way, because about half of the country's teachers will be able to retire in the next decade.