State Education Officials Try to Combat Teacher Shortage

(Pierre, SD) — South Dakota is facing a continuing teacher shortage — and state education officials say they hope to combat the shortage with some new programs they’ve created. Yesterday, Education Secretary Joseph Graves told the Joint Committee on Appropriations retirements and frustrations over the pandemic have aggravated the shortage. He says they hope to manage the shortage with programs that promote reciprocity with other states, mentoring programs and alternative certification programs that would let people without an education degree teach in the state. South Dakota currently ranks last nationwide in teacher pay.