Solving the teacher shortage in Tuscaloosa’s public schools will require more funding, according to the superintendents of Tuscaloosa’s city and county school systems.
“The cost for education is going up. We’ve got to pay our teachers at competitive rates to make sure that they’re taken care of and (to ensure) that we have the best and the brightest teachers in our classrooms,” Mike Daria, superintendent of the Tuscaloosa City Schools system, said Tuesday during the 2022 West Alabama Education Summit.
Daria called the teacher shortage and the lack of funding the most pressing challenges facing the two systems.
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“We’re in a teacher crisis where we do not have enough teachers to fill our classrooms with high-quality teachers in every classroom. So those two challenges go together. But they’re the biggest ones facing our schools today,” he said.
Daria and Keri Johnson, superintendent of the Tuscaloosa County School System, spoke about several of the critical issues facing educators during the summit, which was hosted by the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce at the Bryant Conference Center on the University of Alabama campus.
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The signature breakfast event was designed to connect school system leaders with local business partners to gain insight into the progress within the Tuscaloosa city and county school systems and the needs that must be addressed.
Both superintendents noted that students’ reading scores have improved.
“Our focus remains on reading before third grade. We know that if our students are not reading before third grade, they’re not ready to learn after that,” Daria said.
Even though reading scores have improved, Johnson said that math has continued to be a challenge for students, teachers, and parents, which mirrors a statewide trend.
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“Math scores across the state are not good,” Johnson said.
Daria said both schools’ systems plan to address this challenge by implementing new strategies, which include adopting a new math curriculum, hiring math coaches to help support teachers and bolstering professional development in math instruction.
The summit also highlighted several organizations and businesses that have been fundamental in the progress of Tuscaloosa city and county schools. Some of the groups highlighted included:
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The support of these groups is highly appreciated, Daria said.
“Most important here today, you see how this community gets behind its schools to make that progress. And you see that with the different groups that are in our schools supporting education, and that is making an enormous difference,” Daria said.
Carolyn Tubbs, Adopt-A-School’s education program director, said that she also believes it is vital for the business community to support local schools.
“The importance of our business community is paramount to be involved in our schools and that helps our kids to to develop their future, give them an idea of what to expect and how they can improve their life,” Tubbs said.
