Over half of the teacher vacancies in Baltimore County Schools are for special education classrooms.
Chief Human Resources Officer Homer McCall II told the school board Tuesday night that the district has around 70 teaching vacancies after the first day of school, down from 126 earlier this month. He added that 123, or 70%, of schools in the district have no vacancies, and no schools have more than four.
The district still has over 36 full-time openings for special education teachers and 10 for math teachers, according to McCall’s presentation. The district had around 43 vacancies for special education teachers at the start of last school year.
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“Our greatest needs are in special education and math,” director of staffing Susan Stansbury told the board.
Stansbury said central office and other non-teaching staff who are certified to teach special education are being offered extra pay to fill vacancies. Math teachers are being asked to take on extra courses, she added.
Earlier this month, the district had openings for 55 special education teachers and 18 special education paraeducators, according to board documents. Stansbury also said the district is offering contracts for 16 hours per week for special education roles.
Over 500 vacant staff positions, including 250 teaching roles, were cut from this year’s operating budget, and the district has around 9,800 teachers.
Board member Tiffany Lashawn Frempong urged the district to hire diverse teaching staff. Superintendent Myriam Rogers said she will present data on the demographics of the teaching staff this fall.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
