The number of licenses issued to new teachers in Montana dipped last year, according to a report from the Office of Public Instruction.
The state licensed more than 1,200 new teachers last year, down from 1,600 in 2021, and the lowest amount in the last five years. The number of educators who maintained or upgraded their licenses rose slightly to just over 5,250.
The most recent data from 2019 indicates that Montana is experiencing an educator shortage. Montana schools are finding it difficult or impossible to hire more than half of positions in study areas like math and science, according to data from the Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest.