Arizona has reported its fifth consecutive year of a teacher shortage, with 21% of vacant positions remaining unfilled weeks into the school year.

Even after the Red for Ed movement ended in a funding increase, Arizona is still experiencing a teacher shortage driven in large part by low pay and large class sizes.

Justin Wing is the former president of the Arizona School Personnel Administrative Association. He said the pay increase comes as many other states made the same move.

“We did increase our salaries but the whole salary compensation of a teacher shifted as well. We went along with it, we didn’t make any gains, we didn’t close the gap of the teacher pay compared to the other states," Wing said. 

Wing also said the shortage is causing administrators to have few choices because many openings get only one applicant. He adds that leads to teachers with little to no experience.