Kyisha Threats walks the halls of Providence’s DelSesto Middle School, where she’s worked as a teacher for the last seven years, saying good morning to everyone she sees.
“My journey may have been a little rocky in the beginning,” said Threats, called “Ms. Ky” by her students, reflecting on the nearly two decades it took to become a certified teacher in Rhode Island.
She began her career in the Providence school system in the mid-1990s as a teaching assistant – a position Threats described as pivotal in deciding she wanted to be in front of her own classroom one day.
Despite the obstacles of finances and being a teen mom, Threats earned an associate degree, then a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a certificate.
Now, Threats teaches English-language development in grades 6-8. Because of a shortage of certified teachers, she also teaches a science course.
Like most of the country, the Ocean State is experiencing a teacher shortage. An August 2022 survey conducted by the R.I. Department of Education determined there were at least 538 certified teacher vacancies across the state. Not all districts responded to last year’s survey.
Providence Public Schools spokesman Jay Wegimont in an email told Providence Business News the district in the summer was looking to fill 155 classroom vacancies for the current school year, noting if positions are not filled, the schools will use long-term vacancy substitutes.
“Much of the shortages are in high-need areas, and we have incentives and bonuses to try and fill those positions,” he said.
The number of vacancies fluctuates as districts hire teachers throughout the year, R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green told PBN.
During a two-day job fair in May, 40 educational agencies across the state attended and interviewed approximately 100 people on the spot. The participation in the job fair “speaks to the needs across the state,” Infante-Green noted.
Through various initiatives, including mentor programs, tax incentives for educators and modernizing school buildings – the state is working on recruiting and retaining teachers.
One initiative is a partnership with Roger Williams University to offer a one-year certification program. The program, known as the Career and Technical Education Teacher Certification Program, is designed for people who work in professions other than education and already hold a license, certification or degree for their current industry. From July to May, people enrolled in the CTE program take courses and participate in classroom training as they prepare to become fully certified in the state.
Though the need for teachers is statewide, Infante-Green said it can be cumbersome for some to find job postings because listings are published on individual district websites. To make available jobs easier to find, the state is creating a single hub for posting.
In addition, the state is also recruiting 16- to 22-year-olds through a program called Grow Your Own. The 50 people hired for this program tutor middle school children and are coached by professionals on how to build lesson plans and evaluate student work. The hope is to encourage young adults to be attracted to the teaching profession.
While the state has its own initiatives for recruiting at younger ages and attracting nonteaching professionals to be in the classroom, community advocates and local nonprofits are trying to fill in the gaps.
“A lot of times in this space you start with state agencies and higher [education] institutions, and you forget community people and community [organizations] on the ground,” said Karla Vigil, CEO of the Equity Institute. She added that a primary goal of the Providence-based organization is to ease barriers and work on helping a younger and more diverse population become teachers in the public school system.
The institute started the Education Pathway program in 2020 to help teaching assistants and paraprofessionals navigate certification credentials while providing financial support for those who need it.
“We’ve gotten nothing but positive feedback,” said Vigil, noting the majority of the people in the program have worked for the public school system for years – sometimes even decades. “This is an access for teachers who are committed to [the profession] wholeheartedly.”
In 2021 the program had 35 participants, and this past year it had 150. According to Vigil, each of the participants is set up with coaches to help them navigate the complexities of becoming certified.
“There [are] roadblocks when people apply to jobs,” said Threats, adding that the certification can be confusing and the financial burden can be too much for some, in particular first-year teachers.
Teach for America Rhode Island Executive Director Michael Broschart agreed meeting necessary requirements to obtain and maintain certification for teaching in the state can be complicated. However, the process is made easier with the help of strong mentorship and stipends. While most school districts offer reimbursements, there is still an upfront cost. Teach for America offers stipends between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on whether the teacher was a Pell Grant recipient, to ease the financial burden.
“They are like my guardian angel,” said Paulex Colon Vazquez, who teaches 4th grade dual language at the Frank D. Spaziano Elementary School. For Colon Vazquez, Teach for America has been there for every question and concern.
According to Infante-Green, RIDE also has resources to help teachers and those interested in becoming teachers navigate the ins and outs of certification.
Colon Vazquez studied adolescent psychology at Pennsylvania State University when she was recruited. Teach for America primarily recruits students at college campuses across the country, and places recruits in school systems in need of teachers.
“I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be,” said Colon Vasquez, who said Rhode Island was one of her preferred locations and she has enjoyed her time in the classroom immensely.
“Something really powerful happens when you are experiencing teaching day to day,” said Broschart, noting that 80% of teachers in TFA Rhode Island stay with the program.
“There’s a sense of gratification that someone gets from teaching that you can’t get from any other profession,” Infante- Green echoed.
For Threats, students are the reason she comes to work every day with her head held high regardless of the teaching shortages and extra work.
“They are the joy,” Threats said.
