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MSU professor says, as Missouri looks at ways to retain and attract teachers, it's 'got to look at the money dynamic'

Former Missouri State student Kendell Loyd in his practicum classroom at Parkview High School.
Jesse Scheve/Missouri State
Former Missouri State student Kendell Loyd in his practicum classroom at Parkview High School.

Dr. Jon Turner talks about the national teacher shortage and how to fix it.

Our weekly program, Missouri State Journal, is a collaboration between KSMU Radio and Missouri State University. It's hosted and produced by MSU's Office of Strategic Communication, and it airs each Tuesday morning at 9:45 on KSMU. 

May 6 was the first day of National Teacher Appreciation Week, officially dedicated to say thank you to the extraordinary educators who work tirelessly with students and families throughout the year.

Dr. Jon Turner, an associate professor of education and leadership at Missouri State University, spends much of his time advocating for Missouri teachers, especially in rural districts.

This year, he says there are simply less teachers to appreciate as a national shortage continues to plague the profession.

Turner talks about the reasons for the shortage and what we can be done to address it.

Read the full transcript.

Emily Letterman has worked at Missouri State University since 2023 and is currently the public relations strategist in the Office of Strategic Communication. A longtime journalist with over a decade of reporting on southwest Missouri, she has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from MSU.