Maryland still has a teacher shortage, but this school year looks better than last

When a special educator in Baltimore County took leave for two quarters last school year, Beverly Folkoff’s caseload doubled. Relay Elementary School couldn’t find a substitute, so Folkoff, the county’s teacher of the year, and the only other special educator on her team, shared the extra six cases. That made it difficult to prioritize her teaching. “Am I going to teach the child in front of me or am I going to do this paperwork?” Folkoff asked herself. She always picked the kids, she said, but that meant spending extra hours after school to finish the paperwork.