LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – As many Kentucky school districts head back to school, some districts are still looking to fill teaching vacancies.
Kentucky education officials say the shortage is caused by teachers leaving the field and fewer college students pursuing an education degree.
A WKYT Fact Check of state education statistics found the average classroom teacher annual salary in Kentucky is $53,923.
Teachers in just four school systems averaged over $60,000 with Fayette County being among them. The affluent Louisville area of Anchorage has it’s own school district, and its teachers averaged the most at more than $67,000.
WKYT found the lowest paying district is the small Bell County community of Pineville where the average classroom teacher earned $43,407.
Compared to the rest of the country, the average Kentucky teacher salary falls below than the national average. The National Education Association puts the national average at $60,477.