North Carolina 11th worst in the country for teacher shortage, new data finds

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina is receiving a high mark for something no state wants: a teacher shortage.

The state has the 11th worst student to population ratio in the country, according to a recent analysis. North Carolina has just nine teachers for every 1,000 people in the state.

"That's a pretty poor standing," Cary Malea Anderson said.

"In this industry, the pay's not as high, maybe not that attractive for some," said Cary resident Chao Wang.

According to a search engine on NCPDI's website, there are 6,300 classroom teacher vacancies for the Piedmont area, which includes the Triangle.

The state's current starting base salary is $37,000.

The NCAE saying it should be at least $45,000 to stay competitive and warning otherwise "North Carolina won't be able to recruit and retain our most talented teachers and potential teachers."

For Wang and his wife, they decided not to wait. Instead, they moved their 2-year-old out of a pre-school struggling to find top teachers and into another one. They said the teachers at the first school were just stretched too thin to be effective.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction acknowledging on its website the teacher shortage is "well publicized."

A state commission agreed earlier this month to move forward with efforts to change how teachers are licensed and paid. The hope is that will entice more people to become teachers and allow them to get jobs quickly.

There are a few hurdles ahead for that plan. The board needs to find funding and the General Assembly needs to sign off.