Are teaching jobs (Elementary - JK through to 8) hard to come by in the U.S.

A friend of mine’s sister is a principal in Kentucky and she has told me they are desperate for teachers there. And I’m trying to relocate there, so that would give you someone you kinda know.

A real shortage in Mississippi!

I think teachers are always wanted, it just depends on location. The schools I went to rarely got new teachers. Ours were awesome and never left, and the schools rarely looked for new ones. (We went through three principals in just two years during my middle school grades though.) I’ve learned that new teachers are always welcome in schools that aren’t as well off simply because few teachers actually want to teach there. (Not passing judgment, just sayin’.)
Also, don’t know if it’s a big deal or not, but around my area elementary is considered K-6, junior high is 7–9, and high school is 10–12. So, here, you’d be an elementary/middle school teacher.

Teaching jobs at the elementary school level are easy to come by, because they’re becoming extraordinarily difficult to live on.

There have been a few teaching cuts….but you would find a job no problem.

Both of you, come to KY. There is alot of paperwork, but our kids need you.

As people have indicated it just depends on where you are willing to live. Michigan is one of the best paying states in the nation, especially when you compare cost of living. You can easily find information online since teaching is a public job, unless you want to also consider private schools. Private schools generally pay less.

I think southern states generally would drive you crazy, except for specific cities where the population is more liberal, and of course southeast FL is a huge exception to the southern rule, being full of northern transpalnts. Also southern states generally pay much less, but that varies, pay scales will be on the websites. Having said all of that I am living in the south, and it’s not all bad of course, but it is not the perfect fit for me.

Some states are much easier about their requirements. Many times you can have a degree in almost anything and teach high school, not sure about primary school, primary might have more requirements? Anyway, many states you can have a degree and while teaching pursue credits in teaching to work towards a certificate, and whatever other requirements there might be. Each state is different. Public schools are generally governed by local government not federal.

In california there is a big need for public school teachers, but barely any funding. :(
If you want to live there, I would suggest teaching at a private school. In my experience, they tend to pay more, unlike other US states.

In my area, there is a great need for good teachers… but very few open positions. Budget cuts have taken schools down to essentially the minimum staff. From what I hear, there have been 200-ish applicants for every job in an average school granted, ½ those people probably aren’t qualified.

In L.A. the school districts have been letting teachers go for the past 3 years. My wife had to change jobs this year and she’s a Special Ed. teacher; Special Ed. positions are usually the easiest to come by. Looks like it’s not the same for the rest of the country. But, LAUSD has one of the best salary and benefits packages in the country. You can make a living as a teacher here.

@Carly In our area of California, teachers are being laid off by the hundreds and schools are closing down by the 100’s, both public and private.

@YARNLADY Really? I thought you lived in a relatively remote area. Maybe I am confusing your past posts with someone else’s.

My friend can’t find a job in my large (1 million pop.) city as a specal ed or elementary ed teacheer. Apparently there is far greater need for high school teachers in my area but far more elementary ed canidates. My friend is very good and you would think with a dual specialty (and thus ability to teach special or elem ed) she’d have more interviews but a lot of places school levees didn’t pass in the area so there’s no budget for new teachers. A rule I’ve heard about teaching is if you have to stay in a restricted area, you may have trouble finding a job, but if you can move anywhere you have a bit more options.

@Pied_Pfeffer I live in a foothill suburb of the greater metropolitan area of Sacramento. You are confusing me with Coloma, who lives about 50 miles from me in the mountains.

California has a great need for teachers, but because of our economic situation, the funding just is not there to hire many more teachers, and in general the education system here is suffering. Pay will be higher than in other states, but the cost of living in California is quite high compared to the rest of the country, so it’s barely more than a livable salary. $30–38k/yr in this part of Southern california.

Most of my friends who have wanted to become teachers haven’t been able to find jobs teaching anywhere. They’ve either settled for substitute jobs, or have just given up teaching altogether and went back to school for a more “useful” grad school degree in another field.

@YARNLADY, sorry, I didn’t mean there’s a high demand for teachers economically. My mom is definitely worried about her job in teaching right now. But as a student of California schools, myself, I think there should be more teachers. Class sizes seem way too big, and most of the teachers I had in Public school weren’t even teaching the subject that they majored in.
There’s a large supply of children, but not “enough” teachers, in that aspect.