Lots more teachers are leaving the classroom, and far fewer are coming in.
Dr. Angela Cooper, Lexington 2’s Chief Human Resource Officer, said she has never seen the need for teachers so profound.

“It’s of grave concern,” Cooper said. “Last year was the first year ever that we went with some positions unfilled.”

She said there is a need in almost every subject area, from special needs and middle school to English and foreign language. And just about everything in-between.
With the challenge of finding faculty looming, the Lexington County School District Two Annual Teacher Recruitment Fair will be held from from 8:30 – 11 a.m., Saturday. It’s at Brookland-Cayce High School, 1300 State Street, Cayce.

There were close to 200 registered to attend as of Monday. Cooper said the registration rate is higher this year than last, probably because the district started seeking registrants in December instead of January.
There is a reason teachers are getting harder to find.
Cooper said more teachers are retiring and fewer are entering the field. And the gap is getting wider.
“There were 4,000 leaving with only 2,000 coming in,” Cooper said. Those were last year’s numbers. But now there are about 6,500 teachers leaving each year, with only about 1,800 entering the teaching profession.

She said teaching is a noble calling, but it’s not easy, and that may account for some of the drop-off in numbers. To help draw candidates, Lexington 2 is offering a $2,000 bonus for teachers who sign on in the high-demand subjects.

Lexington Two serves the Cayce, West Columbia, Springdale, Pine Ridge, and South Congaree Communities. Participants will have the opportunity to meet District Administrators and Principals. Pre-registration is available at www.Lex2.org No appointment is needed. Participants are encouraged to bring resumes.
Contact Angela Cooper at [email protected] or Kevin Smoak at [email protected] or (803) 796-4708.