Lexington County school administrators share a problem with everyone else.

They have more jobs to fill than people to fill them.

Private businesses and government agencies are feeling the pinch from low unemployment rates.

But the state’s schools are also affected by the end of the TERI program which kept teachers on the job after they retired.

For example, Lexington District 2 in Cayce and West Columbia has no administrative openings but needs 3 special education teachers and 2 in foreign languages.

“Both of these are considered critical needs areas,” said Dawn Kujawa of Disrict

2. She said they need to fill 6 teaching jobs in all.

That compares to only 3 openings last year.

In contrast, Lisa Ingram in District 4 in Gaston and Swansea and Mackenzie Taylor in District 3 in Batesburg-Leeville said all of their teaching jobs are filled.

Mary Beth Hill of District 1 in Lexington, Pelion and Gilbert said, “We don’t know how many will be empty day one. Special education positions are among the hardest to fill.”

On Monday, District 1 needed 8 teachers, 5.5 of them in special education.

Part of the problem, educators say, is that fewer students chose teaching careers. The Commission on Higher Education found 30% fewer state college graduates are eligible for teacher certificates.

Last year the state Department of Education convened a committee of lawmakers, superintendents and school principals to propose solutions for improving retention and recruitment.

The committee made 29 recommendations that included raising teachers’ base salaries, home downpayment assistance in rural districts where shortages are worse and adding education as an enhancement to the state LIFE scholarship.

The committee found the most common complaint, after teacher pay and little classroom support, was the demands of assessments and accountability.