The public education system is in jeopardy. Twenty-six percent of US schools are overcrowded. Five percent of students do not have a seat in their class (National Center for Education Statistics). This isn’t an isolated issue to the public education system in the United States either, it’s an international crisis across numerous public education systems. On the local scale, Stephen F. Austin High School has faced this issue for many years and the pandemic only aggravated and amplified the issue. The causes of schools being overcrowded vary but after the pandemic, the global teacher shortage remains a principal cause. ABC News says that “A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on pandemic learning published in June 2022 estimated that public education lost about 7% of its total teaching population (233,000 instructors) between 2019 and 2021.” At Stephen F. Austin High School students and staff alike have been struck hard by this threat.
Through the pandemic, and even before then, a steady decrease in new teachers has dramatically impacted the state of public education for future generations. According to an AACTE study, the amount of people pursuing education has decreased drastically, by almost a third. Stephen F. Austin High School counselor Stacy Henchean said, “When I first started in education so many people wanted to be teachers, not anymore.” After the impact of covid, it has been a downhill battle for schools trying to get back to the place they were before. The teacher shortage and the lack of pursuit of this profession can all be linked back to teacher pay. Due to this, the appeal of being a teacher has been reduced and a multitude of schools struggle with school overcrowding and limited staff. Counselor Stacy Haenchon refers to this issue occurring at Austin High School, as it prides itself with many unique classes and experiences for its students. With limited teachers and staff, these classes overflow with more students than ever before. The school tries to persist with these offerings using limited resources, causing the situation to become more grave. “We are so proud of all the course offerings we have at Austin High, [but] as we lose staff positions, we keep trying to give these course offerings and the classes get bigger” Haenchon explains.
Many teachers now face a greater responsibility and have to go the extra mile just to get to know their students. With larger class sizes, it’s not as easy to connect with students individually. This becomes extensively difficult when trying to address struggling students. Austin High math teacher Tarryn Bronikowski has noticed a correlation between the size of her classes and how well her students understand the material. With larger class sizes, it’s not as easy to connect with students individually. This becomes extensively difficult when trying to address struggling students. Austin High math teacher Tarryn Bronikowski has noticed a correlation between the size of her classes and how well her students understand the material. If there are fewer students in a classroom, they can be given more attention and have extra time to review with a teacher present. “Looking at the overall picture of a GPA, you might not have seen it, but in individual tests, quizzes, and understanding of units there was a difference,” she says.
Public education is arguably the most important part of society and education is vital for citizens. Small steps have been taken within the school district. The Austin Independent School District has been working to raise teacher pay, according to counselor Stacy Henchon, but unfortunately, there is only so much they can do under the current legislature. Still, the inadequate compensation for teachers and exceeding lack of support in the school system continue to persist as the true root of this issue. Steps in the right direction have been made by the school district, but in order to combat the present obstacles, larger movements must be made. Fighting the battle to counter the fragmented education system will take time and unfortunately, this issue will continue to affect students as classes have grown.