Another Problem

with "No Child Left Behind," and that's the trouble with finding what the act calls "qualified" teachers. Some districts are boasting they have the "best" staff they've had in years, while others are having a hell of a time finding math teachers, for example.

No wonder so many districts are awash with "best" teachers: many were laid off from other districts and are desperate to get jobs.

Many districts can get literally hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants for only a few positions, so they can get picky.

But there are others I know of that don't care if they have thousands of "qualified" applicants because they pick the cheapest hires for less money or they employ good old-fashioned nepotism in hiring.

The problem with the word "qualified" is that teachers don't have to be the most qualified to get teaching positions. They merely have to be certified in their field (and that alone is a hardship in many small districts where teachers teach multiple subjects). And when that's the case, the principle of hiring the least for less applies.