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Nearly 30% of Arizona teacher vacancies remain unfilled

Arizona continues to face a massive teacher shortage, according to a new survey by the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association. 

Nearly 30% of teacher vacancies across the state this year remain unfilled, while more than half — about 53% — are filled by teachers who do not meet the state’s standard certification requirements.

This is the eighth consecutive year the survey has shown just how dire the teaching shortage is in Arizona. More than 130 school districts and charter schools throughout the state responded to the survey, which focused on teacher vacancies.

Since 2016, a quarter of teacher vacancies have remained unfilled a month into each school year, according to a statement from the organization. 

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KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.