Solving the Teacher Shortage: Strategic Policy Solutions for Expanding Teaching & Learning

Teacher shortages have become a persistent problem for South Carolina’s public schools. But with new bills being proposed every legislative session to address this crisis, it’s hard to keep up with all the proposed changes. 

At the beginning of the 2024-2025 school session there were 1,043 teacher vacancies compared to the prior year’s 1,613 vacancies. To what can we attribute this decrease in vacancies? Many would attribute this decrease to the recent increase in base teacher pay ($42,700 to $47,000), smaller class sizes, and the State Board of Education’s cell phone ban. But alas, the teacher shortage still remains with no sign that the improvement will be more than a short-term effect. So, how do we keep our Palmetto State moving in the positive direction away from a teacher shortage? Let’s look to the recent proposed bills in the 2025-26 legislative session.

S.78 – Work Experience Credit for Educators

S.78, currently residing in the Senate Education Committee and sponsored by Senators Hembree, Young, and Zell, concerns the recognition of prior occupational work experience on a teacher’s capacity to teach. It establishes that every two years of relevant occupational work experience that can be applied to the content field of the teacher certification will count for one year of required experience credit (number of years of teaching experience that is accounted for on the salary scale). Such a change will compensate experienced individuals in terms of the teacher salary schedule when entering the profession after working in another industry. S.78 even mandates retroactive pay for second career teachers hired prior to the passing of this bill.

In a practical sense, S.78 would encourage individuals with professional experience to step into the teaching world. For example, a chemist of six years would be able to walk into the high school chemistry classroom with 3 years of experience credit, a key determinant of their teaching salary, which would help make teaching a financially viable option for professionals in a variety of industries.  

S.78 passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a favorable report on Wednesday, February 12. We expect to see it passed on the floor soon.

S.79 – Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program

S.79, currently residing in the Senate Education Committee, sponsored by Senator Hembree, creates a pilot program for non-certified teachers in the process of certification. This pilot program would be a voluntary five-year trial period, where schools could hire non-certified teachers a ratio of 10% of their total teaching staff.

In order to be eligible to be hired as a non-certified teacher, individuals must: 

• Hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree related to the subject they are hired to teach 

• Have 5 years of relevant work experience 

• Meet training and support requirements by the employing school district 

• Demonstrate enrollment in a educator certification program within three years of employment 

This program would provide annual updates and require a hearing to discuss its continuance at the end of its initial five-year trial period.  

Ultimately, this program provides a great opportunity to move qualified individuals into the teaching field while they are working toward becoming certified. The bill balances that flexibility with insisting on strong qualifications for those who will be in the classroom. This pilot program would help long term for those pursuing teaching as a second career and if successful in its pilot, could be adopted on a wider scale in the state. 

S.79 was expected to receive a vote in the Senate Education Committee on February 12, but Chairman Hembree said that there was so much interest and suggestions for amendments that they are waiting to consider the bill until their next meeting.

H.3196 – Educator Assistance Act

This bill, H.3196, currently residing in the House Education Committee and sponsored by House Education Chairlady Erickson, is known as the Educator Assistance Act. It aims to address inflexibilities in teacher licensing and paperwork 

This bill: 

• Reduces the paperwork for veteran teachers by creating automatic licensing recertification for active teachers 

• Allows district required professional development to count toward  the continuing education teachers need for renewal 

• Grants districts the flexibility to decide when to revoke or suspend a teacher’s certification. This review will be undertaken on a case-by-case basis, allowing grace for teachers who are left with no choice but to break contract in a emergency situation 

• Reforms the contract process—requires districts to notify teachers no later than 14 days prior to the school year, meaning that teachers can’t be reassigned to schools within the district after this 14-day period begins without a majority vote by the school district board of trustees.  

• Changes contract requirements—teachers will be provided with an estimated minimum salary in their contracts that are distributed in May to avoid their committing to return without an idea of what to expect financially 

Ultimately, the Educator Assistance Act relieves unnecessary paperwork tasks, while assisting teachers in setting up their curriculum for the year. This bill addresses the current issue that leads to teachers feeling they are being asked to essentially sign a blank contract.  

H.3196 made its way into the Education and Public Works Committee, where it was found favorable with amendment. It passed the House unanimously on February 13 and is headed to the Senate.

Our Hope 

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the life prospects of the next generation, but this often leaves educators without the ability to see the results of their efforts. At Palmetto Promise, we appreciate our teachers and the integral role they play in shaping the future. We hope, with these reforms, to see the pool of educators grow in a way that benefits our teachers, students, and state economy. 

To read more about educational reform needed in our state proposed in the last legislative session, check out Recruiting & Retaining South Carolina’s Teachers.