Virginia Puts Millions Toward Support Staff as Schools Struggle to Find Teachers
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Virginia schools are set to address the pressing issue of a teacher shortage by expanding their support staff positions, an action that educators believe is urgently needed.
Recently, state legislators approved an adjusted budget that allocates $152 million to these support positions in schools. These funds will help increase the ratio of support staff to teachers. The previous ratio of 21 support positions per 1,000 students has been raised to 24 per 1,000 students. It’s worth noting that the standard used to be 26 support positions, as stated in a report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
This funding has been restricted for over a decade due to a $3.7 billion deficit in the budget during the Great Recession, and it was never adjusted. As a result, last year saw a $331 million reduction in state education funding, according to JLARC.
Several positions have been limited due to this cap, including administrative, clerical, and operational staff, as well as technology and instructional professionals, as mentioned on the Virginia Association of School Superintendents website. Many educational organizations argue that the cap has resulted in the loss of thousands of support staff positions, despite an increase in student enrollment.
The state’s Standards of Quality define the minimum staffing requirements for public education. However, JLARC highlights that these standards tend to underestimate the actual staffing needs of schools. Removing the support staff cap was a short-term recommendation provided in the report.
JLARC reports that Virginia’s school divisions receive less K-12 funding per student compared to the national average. Other states receive nearly $2,000 more per student.
Chad Stewart, policy analyst for the Virginia Education Association, expressed that the support staff cap was intended to be temporary.
"An entire generation of students in Virginia has experienced their K-12 education with a severe shortage of support staff, leaving teachers overwhelmed with additional duties and unable to focus on teaching," Stewart remarked.
When schools lack sufficient support staff, teachers or other personnel are forced to take on multiple roles, Stewart explained. This pulls them away from their primary responsibilities, which involve supporting students in various ways.
Stewart added that guidance counselors, in particular, have had to fulfill multiple support positions, such as overseeing cafeterias or handling administrative tasks. However, a law that came into effect on July 1 now guarantees that counselors dedicate at least 80% of their time to directly counseling students.
Karl Knoche, a teacher at Virginia Beach City Public Schools since 2007, shared his thoughts on the school’s support staff in an email. He teaches government and economics at First Colonial High School, starting in 2014.
"The support staff at my school is exceptional in assisting both teachers and students, and I feel comfortable approaching them with any concerns," Knoche stated.
However, Knoche noted that he also has additional duties, such as supervising students during transitions, lunchtime, and before school, which can be time-consuming. He observed that teachers seem to have more responsibilities outside of the classroom compared to when he began his teaching career.
"While we have been fortunate to have adequate staffing at my school, we have faced challenges with custodial staffing, not due to a lack of employment opportunities, but rather a lack of interest in these positions," Knoche explained.
Teaching vacancies have been a significant concern for Virginia leaders in recent years. According to JLARC, the General Assembly has committed to a 5% pay increase for educators over three consecutive fiscal years, beginning in 2022.
However, the report highlights that these pay increases may not address the low or nonexistent compensation in previous years, coupled with inflation during the past two years. Additionally, not all school divisions were able to fund the full 5% increase due to insufficient matching funds from local authorities for employees not accounted for through the SOQ formula.
According to the National Education Association, Virginia ranks 22nd in terms of teacher pay, with an average salary of approximately $61,000.
In the 2022-23 school year, the state had over 3,500 unfilled teaching positions. Elementary school teachers accounted for the highest number of vacancies, followed by special education. Among the unfilled positions, special education had the highest percentage at 5.8%, followed by world language and then elementary school teachers.
The allocation of funds will vary from district to district, but the goal is for local school divisions to utilize the funds for support staff positions, as stated in an email response from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
In recent years, the governor and lawmakers have significantly reduced the cap on support positions, removing approximately three-quarters of them during the past two sessions, according to the VDOE.
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