Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers: Is there a shortage of teachers? Or, are programs being shut down due to shortage? Or, is it both?

This past year the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences put out an article titled, "Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary School Programs:  National Survey Shows Continued Demand for FCS Teachers". 

In this article they state that although student enrollment is down at the high school level the middle school level has maintained its enrollment over the past 10 years. 

There has been somewhat of a national campaign to "Bring Back Home Economics" and although this is vital and prominent in social media it is clear that FCS programs continue to thrive throughout the United States.  Number of students in FCS programs and corresponding teachers are down.  It states that this could be anticipated with continued focus on "core" academic offerings and lack of funding.  And, in some states Career Pathways has left FCS struggle to find its place with the career technical curriculum.  (p44 vol 105, no 4, 2013)

Through out the 80's school budgets were struggling.  Many schools chose to cut electives.  Beside cutting these electives schools were feeling as though courses like "Home Economics" were not vital to education and that children could learn some of the concepts in the Home Economics curriculum at home.  Because of this transition many colleges and universities chose to cut the Home Economics education programs in their schools. 

As the FCS programs leveled off in the 90's many school guidance officials felt that they should not steer children into a career that was facing decline.  Therefore Colleges and Universities that did still have programs were seeing a decline in their FCS enrollment.  In the early 2000 I did a small study in the Minnesota.  During that year the University of Minnesota had 8 graduates in the Masters program and UW Stout had 18  (lower now).  When I graduated from Stout in 1982 there were between 80 and 90 in my graduating class.

Because there were not many jobs available over the late 80's and early 90's very few went into the field.  Now, as we face a time when many of those that started teaching FCS in the late 70's and early 80's face retirement schools are desperate to find replacements for these FCS classes.

Last year Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN received approximately 40 requests for FCS teachers.  They graduated approximately 4 students.  (Note:  The University of Minnesota,  original land grant university, no longer offer a FCS degree)

As we approach the end of the school year we see emails across the Minnesota list serve for open position for the coming school year.  Up until April 1 there have been 6 requests for FCS professionals for the coming school year. 

Schools that struggle with budgets can easily decide to end programs rather than wait until the finale hour to replace retiring FCS professionals.

As a profession, if we do not want to see the field die, several things need to happen to keep it alive.

1.  We must continue to be a positive voice nationally and promote the wonderful work that we do to educate children.

2.  We need to promote our field as a career choice for our FCS students through the courses we teach and extra curricular activities sponsored by FCS.

3.  We need to encourage those that have walked away from the field because jobs were hard to find at one time and "get them back into education". 

4.  Some of us that have left the field might need to go back until replacement can be found.

5. As professionals we need to stay current with trends and teach what is vital to sustain today, rather than what we have always taught. 

Our profession is in a scary state.  Our professional organization is struggling as a whole, our high school and college enrollment is declining and yet we have a shortage of educators to keep the programs that we have alive.

As a group we must be strong, be involved and fight to keep the positive work that we do in the public eye.

With love from your retired FCS teacher, Jane