Arizona bill would entice teachers to rural schools

Facing teacher shortages, an Arizona lawmaker is encouraging a loan-forgiveness program to be implemented in rural and inner-city schools in the state. James King reports for The White Mountain Independent in Show Low, Ariz., that the bill approved by the House Education Committee this week would expand a law that forgives loans of teachers who commit to staying in Arizona to teach in public schools. The new application would forgive student loans for teachers of any specialization "who commit to work in a geographic area deemed by the state to have a serious teacher shortage." Significant areas that could benefit from the law include the American Indian reservations and several rural towns in the state.

Rep. David Schapira, D-Tempe, told King, "Some districts are experiencing across-the-board shortages that aren't just math and science teachers." Since its initial conception in 2008, more than 140 teachers have taken advantage of the program and rural education administrators are hopeful that they will see positive results. Pat Koury, superintendent of the Hyder School District and president of the Arizona Rural School Association, faces many obstacles when recruiting teachers. "Young people don't want to come out and live in the middle of nowhere," he told King, adding that every rural school district should support the program because it addresses several areas. "When you get out in the rural areas where I am, there are teacher shortages in every area, not just math and science. We need English teachers too." (Read more).