When everything came to a screeching halt at the beginning of the pandemic, parents had no choice but to start in-home care. Ever since, childcare facilities have been facing many changes and trials trying to get back to pre-pandemic levels of children and staff.

Sunset Academy is one of the hundreds of thousands of childcare facilities across the nation that hit a major roadblock at the start of the pandemic. Director Samantha Emmer says Sunset Academy reopened after two months, but with very few kids and teachers.

"We went from actually being at an enrollment of 120 students, which is full capacity, to 27 when we reopened," Emmer said.

Emily Bustos leads Denver's Early Childhood Council, a nonprofit that is part of a national network called Child Care Aware of America.

"We all work to do systemic change in early childhood, as well as provide governmental grants, funding, coaching and training to early-learning providers," Bustos said. "[The pandemic] has been really rough on childcare providers. We did see some sites closing permanently after the pandemic. And right now, what we're experiencing is more of a workforce shortage crisis, if you will, around having enough qualified teachers to actually open, reopen classrooms or keep them open."

She says the best way to attract teachers is to offer a living wage and career pathways to grow. That's exactly what Emmer says they had to do at Sunset Academy.

"We would provide things like sign-on bonuses," Emmer said. "We provided opportunity for staff to be able to reach their credential of becoming a lead teacher if they reached that credential during a certain time period. We would give them another extra bonus, and so that would help us to retain them and it would give them a solid job as well."

However, paying teachers more means parents must pay more.

"The cost of child care was already unaffordable for many families, especially if they have more than one child," Bustos said. "The pandemic has sort of increased that challenge in that there again are fewer teachers, but really there is a movement to pay them more of a living wage."

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, childcare providers made an average of $12.40 an hour in the year 2021. Bustos says the industry needs more public investment.

"I think, in general, there's a broad need for recognition of early learning services as essential for working parents, and I think we need to engage with the business community," Bustos said.

Bustos says incentive for well-trained educators is especially important due to kids returning with greater social-emotional needs.

"There's a lot more challenging behaviors that we're finding amongst the little ones," Emmer said. "So just being able to teach them and to show them positive ways of interacting with one another now, because they didn't have that, you know, some families had one child, no siblings. That child was at home alone. They didn't learn those social-emotional ways."

Emmer says there were a few benefits to the pandemic. It gave Sunset Academy an opportunity to restructure and now they're working toward becoming an English-Spanish bilingual school. She says it also helped parents to feel more sympathetic toward providers after child care was temporarily taken away.

"It can be emotionally draining sometimes," Emmer said. "Of course, it's very rewarding, but it is a lot. I think that they have a little bit of more appreciation, gratitude and understanding at what early childcare teachers really do."
 

Federal COVID-19 relief funding that schools have relied on since the start of the pandemic is set to expire next year.

In 2020 and 2021, congress passed three COVID relief packages that added up to more than $190 billion for public and private schools across the U.S.

Districts report putting the money toward hiring staff, tech upgrades for online learning, improving airflow in schools, and mental health support.

Knowing the money will run out, some districts are concerned about budget shortfalls.

Former educator Amanda Bratten wants teachers and districts to know about a free online resource that could help them save money. It's called Propello.

"Propello is a K-12 education platform," Bratten said. "It's made for teachers, by teachers. and we bring together high-quality customizable curricula designed for hands-on learning. We allow for teachers to be able to personable that education to help students succeed."

Right now, Propello offers middle school science and language arts. There are plans to grow its elementary school curriculum next, including subjects like math and social studies.

Bratten says they do offer districts pay packages with premium tools, integrations and advanced services, but the priority is offering it for free to teachers.

The hope is districts can retain teachers, and those teachers won't have to spend their own money on resources.

It’s January, the middle of the school year, and yet tenth grader Lala Bivens is preparing for her first day at a new school.

Bivens started fall classes at One City Preparatory Academy, a new charter middle and high school in Madison, Wisconsin, but on January 13 a teacher shortage forced the school to shut down classes for more than 60 9th and 10th graders, including Bivens, who then had to switch schools.

“Teachers were just dropping like flies,” she told CNN.

Since the beginning of the school year, Bivens says she lost her math, chemistry and history teachers. The charter school’s CEO, Kaleem Caire, tells CNN the school lost “five core academic teachers” since the high school opened last fall.

On the second day of school, the Academy lost a humanities teacher. Then, four weeks later, a math teacher resigned. The school would lose three more teachers throughout the fall.

“We have quite a few students who are behind academically, the teachers found it hard, and some teachers came on not knowing how hard it was,” Caire told CNN by phone.

In addition to having to deal with low pay, high student-to-teacher ratios, poor working conditions, post-pandemic learning loss, school shootings and social or emotional issues with students, teachers across the nation are also grappling with culture wars over what they can and cannot teach in the classroom.

Florida school district begins 'cataloging' books to comply with DeSantis-backed law

Despite a national recruitment effort, Caire says he could not fill the open positions at the school. “Competition is intense. There are 16 school districts in this area.”

By the time Caire made the decision to shut down classes at the school for ninth and tenth graders, he had been filling in as a math teacher while other teachers at the school were teaching more than one class at a time.

The charter school helped Bivens and 61 other students scramble to find new schools midsemester. After a week of missed classes, Bivens’ mother was able to successfully enroll her at a local public high school.

It’s not just Wisconsin

What’s playing out in Madison is the worst-case scenario of a national teacher shortage gone unchecked.

Department of Education data shows 47 states have reported teacher shortages this school year with the problem being most acute in urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, desperate state legislatures are passing laws making it easier to become a public schoolteacher by lowering or eliminating certain qualifications.

The National Council On Teacher Quality told CNN that over the last two years, 23 states have lowered teacher qualification requirements for beginning teachers. That includes lowering or removing assessment tests designed to determine whether teachers have a firm grasp on the subject they will teach and creating emergency teaching certificates to expedite candidates into the classroom without a teaching degree.

Arizona, Florida and Oklahoma have created new pathways for people without a bachelor’s degree to teach in classrooms.

“Making it easier to become a teacher is an overly broad, short-term solution to staffing challenges that amounts to saying we just need ‘warm bodies’ in classrooms. It’s harmful to students and insulting to the teaching profession,” said Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, a Washington, D.C., think tank that researches and evaluates teacher quality nationwide.

Linda Darling Hammond, president of the Learning Policy Institute, an education research and policy advocacy group, says state efforts to repeal teacher qualification requirements will only exacerbate the teacher shortage.

“When states respond to shortages by reducing standards rather than increasing salaries and improving working conditions, what they’re doing is creating a vicious cycle. They get people in who are underprepared. Those people leave at two to three times the rate of those who have come in with preparation.”

Hammond says at the same time the quality of education for students suffers. “You’re undermining student achievement.”

A Band-aid on a gaping wound

Since Florida opened teaching roles to veterans without a bachelor’s degree last August, the initiative has only netted the state 11 new teachers, according to the state’s education department, raising the question of whether lowering standards is an effective solution to the shortages.

Florida’s Department of Education denies that there’s a teacher shortage and instead says, “The purpose of this new pathway was to value the unique experience military service provides while simply offering additional time for these veterans to obtain a bachelor’s degree and other requirements to receive a full professional educator certification.”

Back in Madison, Superintendent Dr. Carlton Jenkins’ school district will absorb most students transferring from One City Preparatory Academy, despite his district dealing with its own teacher shortage.

“I know our staff is amazing and they do magical type work but it’s still a challenge that will eventually bring stress on the staff here.”

“We have to try to make sure that what they learned aligns with what we are getting ready to teach. We don’t want the regression to happen,” he added.

But the learning loss he fears may have already begun.

“When I didn’t have enough teachers in my classes it was very hard because we didn’t really learn anything,” Bivens tells CNN.

Michael Jones, president of the Madison Teachers Inc. union told CNN, “We need to change the way public schools view educators as a never-ending supply of energetic martyrs and treat them more like the professionals they are and that we expect for our children.”

Kimberly Walkes, Bivens mother, says when she sent her daughter to school, she always assumed there would be enough teachers on staff to teach, so she was surprised when she learned that was not the case at her daughter’s school.

“You set your child up for greatness and they have so many great opportunities and to hear that was no longer being afforded to her, it broke my heart and brought me to tears," she said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District and union leaders said Friday they reached a deal on a new contract for workers after a strike that shut down the nation’s second-largest school system for three days.The agreement includes a pay raise for workers such as bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, special education assistants and other support staff. Union leaders from Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union say that will raise the average pay for those workers significantly.The deal must still be voted on by the full union.The roughly 30,000 workers represented by the union walked off the job from Tuesday to Thursday amid stalled contract talks. Classes resumed Friday.District superintendent Alberto Carvalho, SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced the deal together.Members of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing 35,000 educators, counselors and other staff, joined the picket lines in solidarity.

Another American community is reeling after a shooter killed three 9-year-olds and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville.

Video above: Peers and friends of Katherine Koonce share the type of person and educator she was

Monday's attack was the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a year and the 19th shooting at a school or university so far in 2023 that left at least one person wounded, a CNN count shows.

Some 562 such shootings have unfolded since 2008.

"Our community is heartbroken," The Covenant School, a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, said in a statement, expressing thanks to first responders for their quick response and those showing support for the school.

"We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing," the school said.

Here's what we know so far about the victims:

Evelyn Dieckhaus

Evelyn was 9, police said. While her family appreciates all the love and support they've received, they're asking for space as they grieve, according to a family statement obtained by CNN affiliate KMOV.

"Our hearts are completely broken. We cannot believe this has happened," the statement said. "Evelyn was a shining light in this world."

Mike Hill

Hill, 61, was a beloved custodian at the school, police said, and a father of seven children.

Known as "Big Mike" to students, Hill was a member of the facilities/kitchen staff, according to the school website.

The staff member loved to cook and spend time with his family, according to a family statement obtained by CNN affiliate WSMV. He had 14 grandchildren.

"We would like to thank the Nashville community for all the continued thoughts and prayers. As we grieve and try to grasp any sense of understanding of why this happened, we continue to ask for support," the statement said.

"We pray for the Covenant School and are so grateful that Michael was beloved by the faculty and students who filled him with joy for 14 years," it added.

Related video below: How do schools respond to gun incidents?

Nashville parents set up a GoFundMe page to help support Hill's family with funeral expenses.

"Per his family, he took great pleasure and found tremendous joy in his job and through those students," the GoFundMe added.

His daughter, Brittany Hill, said in a Facebook post on Monday that her dad "absolutely loved" his job.

"I have watched school shootings happen over the years and never thought I would lose a loved one over a person trying to solve a temporary problem with a permanent solution," she said. "I am so sorry for the loss of those children," she added.

"Please keep my family in your prayers tonight. Hug your parents and children a little tighter."

Katherine Koonce

Koonce was 60, police said, and head of the school, according to the website.

She attended Vanderbilt University and Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville and got her master's degree from Georgia State University, it added.

Jim and Monica Lee, friends and former co-workers of Koonce, spoke Tuesday with reporters about her dedication.

"She gave her life because she was trying to protect students, protect faculty," said Jim Lee.

They said the educator had a great sense of humor and was confident. Koonce exhibited humility and made each person she interacted with feel important, Jim Lee said.

"She could be on her knees talking to a preschool student, than she could turn around and be talking to a board member and then turn around and meet with an angry parent and then turn around and meet with the teacher that is having a bad day," he added.

Cynthia Peak

Peak, 61, was believed to be a substitute teacher at the school, according to police.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee talked about the close relationship his wife Maria had with Peak.

The teacher was supposed to come over to the Lee home Monday evening for dinner.

"Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends," said Lee.

"Cindy and Maria and Katherine Koonce were all teachers at the same school and have been family friends for decades," Lee said.

"There will be a time to talk about the legislation and budget proposals we've brought forward this year. And clearly, there's more work to do," he said Tuesday night.

"There is hope in the midst of great tragedy because God is a redeemer. What is meant for evil can be turned for good. May we grieve in the days ahead, but not without hope. May we also act with wisdom, discernment, and grace. And may we love, especially those who have lost," Lee said in his video message.

Louisiana state Rep. Charles Anthony Owen told CNN he's known Peak his whole life. Her hometown of Leesville, Louisiana, is grieving, Owen said.

"She and my sister were the closest of friends growing up and it seems like Cindy was around for all of my childhood," he said Tuesday in a Facebook post. "She and Mae Ann had birthdays one day apart and her family lived across the street from us for a period of time. Cindy and Mae were always together."

Owen wrote that when Mae passed, Peak was one of the first faces he recalled seeing. "She was right here to grieve her old friend," he said.

Hallie Scruggs

Hallie was 9, police said, and the daughter of Covenant Presbyterian Church Lead Pastor Chad Scruggs, according to a statement by Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, a sister church Scruggs formerly served.

"We love the Scruggs family and mourn with them over their precious daughter Hallie," the Texas congregation's Senior Pastor Mark Davis said. "Together, we trust in the power of Christ to draw near and give us the comfort and hope we desperately need."

One other life taken

Also slain was William Kinney, 9, police said.

RIVERVIEW, Fla. (WFTS) — An event hall in Riverview, Florida is giving away free wedding dresses to teachers as a thank you for all their hard work during the pandemic.

Jenna Rose, a fourth-grade teacher at Riverview Elementary School, was surprised with a dress in her classroom this week.

“This means the world to me and the fact that I can share it with my kids means even more to me. It’s such a special moment,” said Rose.

The school's principal nominated Rose for the dress because of her big heart.

“As an educator, that’s what it’s all about. If she has a heart for the kids, the kids are going to want to learn and they love her in return,” said Teri Madill

Rose said it’s nice to be appreciated, especially after a couple of challenging years during the pandemic.

“It’s definitely been a challenge. It’s the understatement of the century, but I’ve learned a lot about myself and about my kids and about my career, so that’s been rewarding,” said Rose.

She said receiving a free dress is a huge help when it comes to paying for a wedding on a teacher’s salary.

“The fact that this is something we can check off the finance list and something we don’t have to budget for is amazing,” said Rose.

This story was originally reported by Robert Boyd on abcactionnews.com.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is clarifying their stance on reopening schools this fall, pushing for science-based decisions and calling on Congress to provide necessary federal funding for campuses to reopen safely.

The AAP, joining together with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA) and AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said they share the desire to welcome children back to schools this fall, however safety concerns must be considered.

“Returning to school is important for the healthy development and well-being of children, but we must pursue re-opening in a way that is safe for all students, teachers and staff. Science should drive decision-making on safely reopening schools. Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics,” the statement reads.

They go on to say a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate, given the nature of the pandemic across the country.

The AAP released guidance last month discussing the physical, emotional and mental benefits of returning to in-person classes and offered suggestions for how districts could make safety plans. Including wearing masks, bringing lunch from home, keeping kids socially distant in classrooms and limiting classroom-to-classroom movement. Their guidance was based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The guidance kicked off a discussion on the national level about whether students should return to schools or continue virtual learning this fall.

Wednesday, President Trump said he strongly believes schools should re-open to in-person learning. The president also said he thought the guidance from the CDC was too high of a barrier to schools re-opening. The CDC announced Thursday they would not be changing their guidelines at this time.

For teachers and other educators, it has been a bumpy summer full of unknowns.

Used to delivering answers to students, they are now asking questions about what they can expect during the fall semester.

“It’s a lot of uncertainty,” said Jo Pustizzi, a high school teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The one thing Jo and her husband, Jim, who is also a public school teacher in Colorado Springs, can rely on is the source of income they have been generating from their Airbnb.

Seven years ago, the couple converted their cabin in the Rocky Mountains into a place to stay for out-of-towners looking to escape.

“Jo had to really convince me to do an Airbnb, because we had put so much work into the cabin that I didn’t want someone to abuse it,” Jim said.

Jo and Jim are far from the only ones as well. Airbnb says it has seen more teachers turn to the service as a way to supplement their income.

In 2019, Airbnb says teachers raked in $230 million through rentals. About $81 million of that came during the months of June, July and August, when they were not teaching.

It is a big jump from 2017, when teachers brought in $160 million, $54 million coming during the summer months.

“It’s kind of like our own little business, too, so it is fun,” said Jo. "It’s fun just reading reviews or talking to people on the phone.”

It gives the Pustizzis a way to live their lives a little more loosely as they near retirement age and worry about their pensions amid the pandemic.

It also gives them a chance to look back on reviews knowing they did what they do best: share information and experiences.

"People enjoy the same things that we enjoy and it’s cool,” said Jim.

“It feels good knowing other people are feeling good,” added Jo.

For a couple whose profession and passion is in flux, what more could you ask for?

MADEIRA, Ohio — Madeira High School quarantined eight students and one staff member after contact tracing showed that they had been in close contact with a student who tested positive for COVID-19, superintendent Kenji Matsudo said in an email sent out Wednesday afternoon.

In this situation, close contact constitutes being within six feet of another person for more than 15 minutes, according to the email.

The school immediately began cleaning and sanitization procedures

Matsudo said that all families should do daily health checks of students before leaving for the bus or going into the school building.

SOUTHLAKE, Texas —

In a secret recording, a Texas school administrator advised teachers to have an "opposing" book regarding the Holocaust – the genocide of millions of European Jews during World War II.

The school leader works with the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, near Dallas-Fort Worth. According to audio obtained by NBC News, Gina Peddy, the Carroll school district's executive director of curriculum and instruction, made the comment during a training session on which books teachers can have in classroom libraries.

Carroll ISD held the training camp to respond to a parent's complaint of how the board reprimands a fourth-grade teacher who had kept an anti-racism book in her classroom. A Carroll staff member secretly recorded the training and shared the audio with NBC News.

In the recording, Peddy told the teachers to remember the concept of House Bill 3979, which is a new Texas law that requires teachers to present multiple perspectives when discussing "widely debated and currently controversial" issues.

"Make sure that if you have a book on the Holocaust, that you have one that has an opposing, that has other perspectives," Peddy said.

One teacher asked Peddy how someone could not oppose the Holocaust, to which Peddy responded, "Believe me. That's come up."

In a statement from the district, Carroll ISD said the district is trying to help teachers comply with the new state law and an updated version that will go into effect in December.

According to NBC News, teachers in the Carroll school district say they fear being punished for stocking classrooms with books dealing with racism, slavery and now the Holocaust. Six teachers spoke with NBC, saying district leaders have sent mixed messages about which books are appropriate in classrooms and what actions they should be taking.

Earlier this week, Texas' Katy Independent School District decided to pull books from award-winning author Jerry Craft, including "New Kid," from its shelves over allegations the content of the work promoted critical race theory and Marxism.

BRIGHTON, Colo. — School districts across the country are feeling the weight of employee shortages, including paraeducators and paraprofessionals.

“We have medically fragile students that require one-on-one supervision,” said Michal Clow, the director of human resources for the Colorado school district 27J. “We have to provide that supervision. We have to keep them safe. Literally, they rely on those staff members for their lives every day.”

Ever since the pandemic started, school districts across the country have been struggling to keep employees.

According to a Frontline Education survey, in 2021 75% of school districts in cities reported shortages. Thirty-five percent of districts reported having shortages in paraprofessionals and paraeducators.

“When things started to go online and students were no longer going to the classrooms the role of paraeducator had to shift and change,” said Less Thomas, the director of education at Pierce College. “A lot of school districts didn’t know what to do with their paras. So, they’re experiencing this turnover where their paras are becoming certificate teachers. Part of the issue is that para’s make around minimum wage or a little more. So, they’re thinking ‘if I can make substantially more money just by going to a couple more years of school, why wouldn’t I do that?’”

According to Clow, students desperately need paras.

“These are critically important to many of our students and many of our classrooms and they take some of the burden off our teachers so they can focus on teaching and instruction,” Clow said. “And some of the administrative tasks that happen in the classroom, so they support a wide range of important tasks that happen every day.”

Clow said their district is down paras by 10%, which is why it changed tactics to recruit.

“From a financial standpoint, there’s not a pool of money to pull from. We certainly can’t raise revenue like a private business could do,” Clow said. “Our line of recruiting has changed – typically we say that these are benefitted positions and it’s a stable job and you get to be on your kids’ schedule, we’ve changed our thinking a little bit on the recruiting side by saying these our flexible jobs. That flexibility seems to be potentially a bigger draw than the benefits and the stability.”

To combat the shortage, Shirley Dawson at Weber University said the school created a paraeducator and paraprofessional certificate program that grants students free tuition.

“At Weber State, right now, we are actively in the process of preparing seventy future or current paraeducators,” Dawson said. “Financial support is often the greatest stumbling block for paraeducators entering the field. If we can support paraeducators by removing the barrier the flood gates just open it seems with people that are interested.”

School districts hope these programs and tactics will bring more paras back to where they’re needed most, in the classroom.

NEW YORK (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied an emergency appeal from a group of teachers to block New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public school teachers and other staff from going into effect.

The teachers had filed for the injunction with Sotomayor on Thursday, in an effort to keep the mandate from going into effect Friday.

Under the mandate rules, the roughly 148,000 school employees had until 5 p.m. Friday to get at least their first vaccine shot.

Those who didn’t face suspension without pay when schools open on Monday.

The city's lawyer said the judge made the right call. A lawyer for the teachers said they are disappointed.

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Ky. —

For the first time locally, teachers are getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Thousands of doses have been dedicated to teachers, school personnel, administrators and staff at schools in Northern Kentucky.

St. Elizabeth began giving the vaccines Friday.

“I never for one second hesitated or debated whether or not I would get it,” said Dayton Kentucky Independent Schools teacher Karen Fuchs.

Dayton Schools are scheduled to get the vaccines in about a week.

“We were just overjoyed because more than anything, what we all want is to bring our students back into the classroom, full time, every day,” Fuchs said.

There are 75 teachers in the Dayton Independent School District and a total of 150 who work in the school system.

“Our initial survey, we had nearly 80 to 85 percent saying they were going to take it and then some that were on the fence that I’m hoping every day they come a little closer,” said Dayton Superintendent Jay Brewer.

Dayton Independent Schools have 850 students who are now going to class in-person for half the day and virtual the other half.

Brewer said it’s unlikely that they would go back full time in-class until students are also vaccinated. The best estimate is that students could be back in call full time by next fall.

St. Elizabeth is setting up vaccines through the school districts in Boone, Kenton, Campbell and Grant Counties. The expectation is to be able to complete the task within a few weeks.

COLUMBIA, SC. — A nationwide teacher shortage is deepening, and many teachers said the pandemic is a major reason why they left the profession they once loved.

Almost half of the teachers who quit in 2020, 44%, reported the pandemic was the main reason they left. They say it magnified existing stressors and added new ones.

Sixty-four percent didn’t feel they were being paid enough to offset the newfound duties, stress, and risk. One fifth said stress alone was what drove them to quit.

Jodi Chumley taught elementary school in South Carolina for more than three decades. She decided to retire last year after COVID-19 made her already time-consuming job overwhelming.

“Last year was something else, and it was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Chumley. “I would take it home every single solitary night. The only night I refused to work was Saturday, and this is not just me, this is everyone on my team.”

Chumley said the pandemic made the job more stressful worrying about health and safety, but there was also more stress in trying to make sure students learned critical reading and math skills remotely.

She agonized over her decision to leave. “I would teach for less, I think, because I love the profession if I weren’t so stressed all the time to get things done,” she said. “I hate it, and it’s really sad because I loved teaching, but I didn’t have a life.”

Chumley’s case hints at a bigger trend around the country – including in South Carolina. Sherry East is a teacher and the President of the South Carolina Education Association, and said the shortage is becoming more and more dire every day. “We don’t have a shortage of students, we have a shortage of everyone else. There’s really more than one issue here to tackle this problem, but we really need to get on it now, because there’s students in the classroom now that don’t have a certified teacher in front of them,” said East.

The state started last school year with 700 open teaching positions. It left an estimated 14,000 students without a certified teacher on the first day of school.

Then, between October 2020 and February 2021, about 170 teachers quit each month, statewide.

The stress driving teachers out isn’t expected to get any better this year.

Patrick Kelly, the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Palmetto State Teachers Association said he’s worried this is only going to get worse in the next few months.

“Unfortunately, morale is really low among teachers right now. There's no other way to slice it. The teachers that are remaining, they've got additional burdens on them, the burdens that come with understaffed schools,” said Kelly.

He said he is shocked to hear what teachers are having to do outside the classroom just to keep their schools running. “There are teachers in South Carolina right now that are being asked to drive bus routes in the morning because districts can't find a enough bus drivers, they're being asked to pitch in in the cafeteria because we can't find enough cafeteria workers, to help clean the school after the day because we don't have enough staff in our custodial services. They're taking on larger class sizes because we can't find enough certified staff.”

Kelly said stress, low pay and lack of respect will continue to wear on teachers this school year.

“What we found was four consistent factors teachers leave the profession because of: a lack of respect, a lack of time, a lack of adequate support and inadequate compensation. It's always those four,” said Kelly.

The pandemic only added an extra layer to that conversation. “Now, for some reason, in the eyes of too many members of the public, they're the villain and very few people want to do this job and be the villain,” said Kelly.

Without urgent action, Kelly said he worries these waves of resignations will have long term consequences beyond the classroom.

“I think the most important thing for people to realize about this teacher shortage is that if we don't take urgent action now, it will continue to get worse and it will diminish our economic capacity. It will diminish our national security. It will diminish the opportunities available to our children,” he said.

Kelly said there are three solutions that could help keep teachers in classrooms: smaller class sizes, more trust and support from districts, and protection against harassment and disrespect.

He said helping keep the teachers we have now can start with something as simple as support from families and students, even if it’s with words of encouragement.

Fifteen staffers of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District have died from COVID-19 in the past 10 days, officials said.

Sonia Diaz, a spokesperson for several unions in the school district, confirmed the number of deaths to NBC6.

One of the educators that lost their life to COVID-19 was Abe Coleman, a teacher for more than 30 years.

“It’s a tremendous loss. The number of lives that he impacted are countless. So many young men had the benefit of him intervening in their lives and pointing them in the right direction,” said Marcus Bright, with 5000 Role Models of Excellence.

Coleman was also a mentor and Site Director for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Program, overseeing the Holmes Elementary location. He helped shape the lives of hundreds of young men over the years in the organization that mentors minority men in Miami-Dade County.

“In particular, he was a bridge builder for the students there. He connected them with opportunity, with resources, with infrastructures of opportunity that fed into and contributed to their development,” Bright said.

On Tuesday, Coleman lost his life to COVID-19 at the age of 55.

Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson, the founder of 5000 Role Models, released a statement saying, in part:

“Mr. Abe Coleman was a highly motivated, dedicated, and inspirational Site Director for the Holmes Elementary Role Models Chapter and never missed a day. The pandemic did not deter him.“

Abe Coleman leaves behind a wife, son and countless men he inspired.

Officials haven’t released the identities of the other teachers or staff members, and a Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson said the district doesn’t release the cause of death for employees or students.

CINCINNATI —

Officials with Cincinnati Public Schools announced that some employees will receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.

The Cincinnati Health Department has received its first supply of the vaccine for school employees, CPS officials said Monday.

"In response, we have accelerated the schedule to get the vaccinations into the arms of employees," a statement reads in part.

Pfizer vaccinations will be given out starting Thursday for employees designated in the district's Group A. That group includes:

• Teachers and paraprofessionals in preschool, kindergarten and grades 1-3 classrooms
• Teachers and paraprofessionals in specialized classrooms from preschool through 12th grade
• Paraprofessionals one-to-one
• Nap aides
• Related service providers
• Custodians and building engineers

Human resources will notify those employees who are eligible.

Group B will include all other school-based employees. Group C will include employees based at the Education Center and Iowa Street, bus drivers and CPS employees who missed the first two weeks and want to be vaccinated.

On Thursday, Group A individuals can receive their first vaccination at Mt. Airy School from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. There will also be Group A vaccinations scheduled on Saturday at the Duke Energy Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The CPS school board has decided to begin blended learning on Feb. 1. But the decision is making some uncomfortable.

Among them is Angie Wilson, who thinks it's too soon and that teachers should be able to receive the vaccine first.

"It's safer for them, it's safer to the students and I think that all reflects back to our community," Wilson said.

Those feelings, prompting her and others to make a video. Parents expressed their concerns to school board members because they believe their voices aren't being heard.

The move by CPS veers from data guidelines laid out by the superintendent last month.

But according to CPS board members, school officials feel okay with welcoming kids back based on research regarding limited spread in schools and following safety protocols.

Not to mention, Gov. Mike DeWine said schools that submit a plan that includes at least some in-person learning by March first can be on the priority to get a vaccine.

"So that does not mean every school will get it on Feb 1, but we're going to start during the month of February that this process is going to move forward," DeWine said.

While teachers with Cincinnati Public Schools will start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, other Ohio teachers have to wait a little while longer.

Meg Cottingham is a chemistry teacher at Ross High School, and she sits behind a Plexiglas divider to teach. She said this makes it difficult to teach her students.

"I can't walk over to them and help them at their desk when they need it," Cottingham said.

Cottingham also likes to connect with her students on a personal level, eating lunch with them on bad days and even going on college tours with others if a student's parents can't go.

"I want [the vaccine] because I want to be able to work with the kids," Cottingham said. "I can't do that as long as I don't have the vaccine."

Teachers at Ross High School will have the vaccine available to them starting next week. The vaccine is not mandatory for teachers at the school.

CINCINNATI —

As the parent of two Cincinnati public school students, Roger Jackson is curious to see if district leaders will require teachers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

"We've never been through this type of thing before," Jackson said. "It's like just shoot and see what happens, you know what I mean."

Since a fully approved coronavirus vaccine is now part of the arsenal that could finally stop COVID-19 in its tracks, Jackson hopes teachers have to take the shot.

"Everybody's entitled to their own opinions and outcomes and what they choose to do," the father of two teenagers said. "But I feel like, you know, the kids and the teachers – because of their situation of being in such close contact every day -- I feel like they should."

Jackson's view is shared by members of CPS' Board Policy and Equity Committee.

"I think I’m inclined to support a vaccine requirement," committee member Ben Lindy said.

But Lindy isn't sure what a vaccine requirement for teachers and other workers in the district would look like.

"I think there are different choices about how we do it," Lindy said. "One is a blanket requirement. One is a requirement or a mask. One is a requirement or a test."

If board members do implement a requirement, Julie Sellers, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, wonders if it would apply to vaccine-eligible students 12 and older. Sellers also said she hopes vaccine reluctance won't lead to lost jobs.

"I don’t want to have to get into a legal battle over this," Sellers said. "I don’t want to go and have to justify this. But people have statutory rights on terminations."

That's one of many issues the board needs to consider quickly, since colder air will soon force students and teachers into closer quarters indoors.

"There is a reason, medically, there's a reason seasonally, to be focused on it," committee member Eve Bolton said.

After meeting Thursday, CPS' Board Policy and Equity Committee will meet again Sept. 13. That's when a vote on a vaccine requirement for CPS staff members could happen, meaning first shots would be required to go into teachers' arms as soon as the first day of October.

The coronavirus is continuing its grip in southern states. As Florida made up nearly 1 in 5 new COVID-19 cases in the country last week, the virus claimed the lives of several educators in Broward County ahead of the first day of school.

The Broward Teachers Union said two teachers and a teacher's assistant, all of whom worked at elementary schools, in their 40s, died within 24 hours of each other this week. They were not infected at school, as doors were not yet open.

"Wonderful, very charismatic, just a special woman. Just positive all the time. Always looking out for her colleagues and, as I said, a union leader," said Anna Fusco, the union president, of one she knew personally.

The union said a fourth person also passed away who was a Broward County Public Schools graduate with close ties to the district through her job.

"The loss of a teacher is a ripple throughout the community. The lives that they touch. The other teachers on their teams. Their schools. It's a huge loss," said Heather Brooks, a parent of two students in the district.

The Florida Education Association said it's counted 15 educators who have died from COVID-19 since July.

"My heart breaks for their families and their students, their communities and that's all we're asking, that we have been provided the safest working environment and learning environment for our students and our staff," said Carole Gauronskas, the Vice President of the FEA.

The association is concerned about the virus' spread as schools start a new year, pointing to vaccines and mitigation measures, including masks.

"We are supposed to do whatever it takes to make sure their environment is a safe environment for learning as well as that for the employee. And right now our hands are tied or have been tied. We've seen several school districts that have bucked the system and are requiring masks with an opt out, but that's one safety feature among many," said Gauronskas.

The deaths in Broward County come as they and Alachua County Public Schools defy the state over mask mandates.

Florida is requiring districts allow parents to "opt out." The state could withhold funding equal to the superintendent and board members' salaries if a district is in violation.

"We're not doing this to get attention or be defiant. We're doing what we feel is best for our community and (to) keep our schools opened," said Jackie Johnson, with Alachua County schools.

The State Board of Education has called an emergency meeting next week to discuss the compliance of both districts.

Florida's governor's office maintains there's no conclusive evidence on the impact of mandating face coverings for kids but suggests anyone working in schools consider getting vaccinated. They note the deaths couldn't have been caused by infections from unmasked kids at school, but said it doesn't diminish the grief from the tragic loss.

"It's important we get vaccinated. They weren't vaccinated. You know, no fault of theirs, they might have had some medical concerns. I'm not quite sure. Social distance. Clean hands. Wash your hands often. If you're not vaccinated, try to get tested. And mask wearing is also a protocol; we were happy that was mandated," said Fusco.

"BCCPTA joins our teachers and the entire BCPS community in mourning the loss of four of our educators to COVID. BCCPTA has been and will continue to advocate for our school district to adhere to CDC guidelines regarding all COVID protocols, including face coverings. Face coverings protect everyone, our children, the adults in the school community and at home. Our primary goal is to keep everyone safe and healthy and diminish the spread of this virus, so that our children can return to a normal school environment, as soon as possible," Burt Miller, the Broward County Council PTA/PTSA president, said in a statement.

Such deaths can impact children in a variety of ways, according to Dr. Daniel Bober, a psychiatrist near Broward County.

"I was treating patients today via Telehealth, kids actually, that were telling me they were afraid to go back to school because some kids aren't going to be wearing masks. They're afraid of getting sick, they're afraid of getting infected, they're afraid of watching their teachers die. So yeah, there's a lot of fear," said Bober.

This story was originally reported by Haley Bull on Newsy.com

LEBANON, Ohio —

Ohio is getting one step closer to vaccinating all teachers in the state so students can return to the classrooms next months, if they're not there already.

Three districts in Warren County, including Lebanon, Carlisle and Franklin.

Teachers who have been in the classroom all year with their students have been waiting for this moment.

"I'm excited to go ahead and get it and be a little safer around my students and for all those around me," said kindergarten teacher Caroline Kindell.

Around 140 shots of Pfizer vaccine were administered each hour in collaboration with Premier Health.

District leaders said it took weeks of work to get to this point.

Staff signed up online and picked a time slot to receive their vaccine.

"It makes me feel like education is valued and that people value the fact that kids being able to be face-to-face like we've been able to do," said kindergarten teacher Vickey Spinner.

The process was quick.

Employees were given the shot, then told to wait 15 minutes for any possible side effects to be monitored.

Then, they got the all clear to leave.

One woman said it feels like an accomplishment after what she's been through.

"I have had some personal experiences with COVID and family members with COVID and actually passed a month ago with COVID, so it's been a huge part of our life this past year. So it meant a lot to do my part and be protected," said school psychologist Karen Mills.

There's a waitlist for employees who failed to sign up by the deadline, but once there are more vaccines available they will be eligible to receive one.

More than 82% of teachers in Lebanon City Schools signed up to receive the vaccine.

The clinic continues tomorrow at the Lebanon City Schools Central Office.

They plan to be open and operating even if there's snow.

As school districts across the country weigh all options about whether to require masks in schools, a similar debate is going on in one Tri-State community following the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who recommended students K through 12 wear a mask in school.

Sycamore school district has vocal parents on both sides of the debate.

“It’s vital that everyone is entitled to a safe and healthy school environment,” said Miranda Brady, who supports the mask requirement in schools.

Two of Brady’s children joined her and a handful of other parents at a protest Thursday to try to raise awareness about their belief that Sycamore community schools should require masks for everyone when students return to classrooms next month.

“It’s simple,” Brady said. “It’s rather be safe than sorry, because if we’re sorry that means that kids are going to be sick and in the hospital.

Alyssa Piljan-Gentle is a Sycamore parent and a pediatrician. She wants the district to listen to the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital – all of whom are recommending universal masking for children and adults in school.

“It’s not like we’re asking kids to do something extreme,” she said. “It’s just simply a piece of cloth.”

Piljan-Gentle acknowledges our region is in an okay spot right now as far as COVID-19 cases are concerned, but said that could change very quickly.

“If you look at other parts of the country, they’re having a really hard time with this delta variant and I don’t want us to get to that point,” she said. “I don’t want kids to have to start getting sick for there to be a change.”

Other parents disagree and want Sycamore schools to make masks optional – something the district recommended at its last board meeting.

“You only get one chance at childhood, right?” asked Sycamore parent Sarah Cormier, who supports optional masks. “So, we’re trying to ensure that for our kids and get them back to that as soon as possible.”

Sycamore Community Schools said masks will be encouraged for the upcoming year, but not required – although that safety plan is going to be discussed at a board meeting next Wednesday.

“The current recommendation to the board is based on the latest local health data available,” Sycamore Community Schools released in a statement. “Currently, the transmission rate of COVID-19 is very low and the vaccination rate among eligible residents is one of the highest in the area.”

Organizers of the mask-optional effort said more than 1,000 parents from the district support that plan.

“If we’re not going to take away the masks now, when? When is a good time?” asked Cormier. “I understand their argument is when (kids) can be vaccinated, but I don’t think that that will even happen, because then they won’t be happy with how many kids are vaccinated. It won’t be enough.”

Sycamore Community Schools said if the COVID-19 data changes locally, or there are new mandates or recommendations from local, state or federal health officials, that masking plan could change. But the plan now is to let families decide whether to mask their children or not.

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio —

The Middletown community is mourning the loss of an incoming freshman who died Monday at a local water park.

Mykiara Jones, 14, was about to enter her freshman year at Middletown High School. Teachers from the middle school described her as a "rare gem."

"She radiated joy every single day of her life," said Lori Barker, a science teacher at Middletown Middle School. "She kind of lived by the motto to always be your best self, and I think she inspired others around her to do the same."

Teachers said Mykiara was a leader and a role model inside the classroom and out.

"Her bubbly personality was infectious. She wanted to encourage everyone to be the best person they can be," said Mykiara's math teacher Jennifer King.

King said Mykiara excelled in math.

"We do MAP testing, and she actually had the highest score in the winter that I have ever had of a student, and when we took it in the spring, she just wanted to do better. She just pushed herself so hard and did an amazing job," King said.

Staff members at Middletown schools are wrapping their arms around Mykiara's family members, especially her mother, as she works in the district.

On Monday, Mykiara was at Land of Illusion Adventure Park in Madison Township. The Butler County Sheriff's Office said Mykiara was not wearing a life vest when she fell into the water. She was pulled out about 30 minutes later and was flown to Dayton Children's Hospital where she died.

While authorities suspect Mykiara drowned, the Montgomery County coroner has not yet ruled on a cause of death.

The park was closed Tuesday.

Land of Illusion said in a statement posted to its Facebook page that it's fully supporting state and local officials as they investigate the incident.

In the meantime, those who taught Mykiara wanted everyone to know how special she was.

"She didn't know a stranger. She was just very special," King said.

"She was the definition of Middie pride," Barker said.

Superintendent Marlon Styles sent a letter to parents Tuesday and informed them of Mykiara's death. Styles said the district's Student Services Department is working with Access Counseling to make grief counselors available to support students, staff and parents.