Minnesota and neighboring states are in the midst of teacher shortages, especially in special education, science and math. Kirk Schneidawind of the Minnesota School Boards Association says many factors could be responsible for the shortage, including the No Child Left Behind act’s effect on public schools, rising student loan debt, and the relatively low average starting salary for teachers:

Schneidawind says one way to help address the problem is to encourage young people who are entering college to opt for a career in education.