JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Too many educators are leaving the profession in Missouri, and there are fewer teachers available to replace them.
Over the last decade, Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reports enrollment in teacher prep programs across the state has declined more than 25%. As a result, teacher attrition rates over the last six years are over 11%; that’s higher than the national average (8%) and the average in high-performing countries (4%).
In order to attract, train, and retain new teachers to fill the vacancies in classrooms, DESE has launched TeachMO.org, an online recruitment platform.
The website is the result of an ongoing collaboration by national nonprofit TEACH, as well as schools, universities, and education organizations in Missouri.
The state is investing $50 million over the next three years in TeachMO.org and other recruitment projects, such as the Teacher Education Recruitment and Retention Grants and the Pathways to Teaching Careers Program.
TeachMO.org will act as the hub for any would-be educators to receive free resources and support in applying for teaching positions and training programs.
