Missouri Board of Education, Statewide Commission Hit the Road to Share Teacher Recruitment and Retention Plans

(MISSOURINET) –  Missouri loses about half of its K-12 public school teachers within the first five years of entering the profession.

Board of Education President Charlie Shields explained how losing that many teachers is a crisis.

The state Board of Education and a statewide commission are making its way across Missouri to share its plans to help recruit and retain more teachers.

Shields says town halls are being held this week in Ballwin, Nixa and Poplar Bluff to hear from the public and to lay out a teacher recruitment and retention commission’s recommendations…

Recommendations include a path to increase teacher pay long-term; boosting mental health resources for school staff; and tuition assistance for educators.