As Albuquerque Public Schools wrapped up a job fair to recruit more faculty, some were asking why there is such a great need for teachers even as APS says there is no shortage.
KOAT-TV reported that APS is short by about 300 teachers. Monica Armenta, the APS executive director of communications, told the station that there are more demands for teachers and pay has stayed about the same.
Another APS official told New Mexico Political Report that there isn’t really a shortage, at least when compared to previous years.
APS spokesman Rigo Chavez said staffing numbers are always low this time of year.
“Every year at this time we have a number of teacher vacancies,” Chavez said.
He added that APS has not had a job fair of this size for a couple of years, but attributed that to more money being available this year after budget cuts in previous years.
Charles Goodmacher, a spokesman for the National Education Association of New Mexico, echoed Armenta’s remarks following the job fair. He said the demand for more teachers is being felt throughout the state right now.
Goodmacher said teachers are not compensated for the job they do, and often leave out of frustration.
“The answer is teaching is a profession that is very rigorous and demands a lot of every individual,” Goodmacher told New Mexico Political Report. “Good teachers are leaving.”
