Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — The Lafayette Parish School System has declared a critical shortage of classroom teachers to open the door for it to hire retirees to fill about 40 positions still vacant as the clock ticks down on the first day of school on Aug. 12.
The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1njRbxZ ) Superintendent Pat Cooper blamed the school system's operational budget that remains in limbo with a more than $7 million shortfall for teachers not wanting to take jobs in Lafayette Parish.
"There's uncertainty," Cooper said.
The declaration is a necessary step for the school system to be able to hire retirees, and per Louisiana Teacher Retirement System guidelines, the K-12 teaching positions must be posted in local classified ads, Cooper said.
The school system has had few applicants reject job offers, but far fewer have applied for positions open in areas such as special education, math and the sciences, said Bruce Leininger, human resources director.
"Restrictions are placed on retirees who return to work," Leininger said. "You have to demonstrate that coming out of retirement fills a need because you can't find anyone else qualified."
___
Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
