North Dakota is facing challenges that the state never believed would ever come. They are experiencing substantial population growth, in certain areas, due to the “booming oil patch”. Williston, a town in the western part of North Dakota, has seen an increase in population from 12,600 to 23,000 people. The expectation of 1,200 new students appears to be a reality that is demanding great attention on the parts of the schools.

Many education graduates are submitting their applications in hopes that they will find their first teaching jobs. According to an article, written by James MacPherson for the Associated Press, “Molly Lippert came home from college and gladly accepted a $31,500-a-year position teaching first grade.” This appears to be only one example of the first year teachers being considered for available positions.

There are some things to consider if one is to accept a teaching position in North Dakota. The Williston Local Education Association President, Lanny Gilbert, is concerned that the salaries being offered are not enough due to the high standard of living. He stated that rent for fellow teachers is increasing. An example of one fellow teacher’s rent is the jump from $500 per month to $900 per month for the same apartment.

The president of the North Dakota Education Association has stated that the teacher salaries and the lack of housing for the influx of new teachers are key issues to be considered. However, the warning does not seem to be deterring the amount of applications that are being sent to Williston and surrounding areas. In fact there are veteran teachers who are being hired such as a 57 year old teacher from Montana who sold his home and moved his family to North Dakota.

This blog author believes that people who are looking for teacher positions need to decide what will be best for them when it comes to location, types of schools, and student population. What might work for one person may not work for another. Some new education graduates are flexible and have the skills that are necessary to make successful moves to other states. Like Molly Lippert, they are anxious to begin their careers and they believe, once hired, they will be able to meet their needs when it comes to housing and living standards.

Students must weigh out the pros and cons as they pertain to themselves as individuals while looking for teaching positions. They must research the living expenses and the costs involved with residing in the areas near the schools where they might teach. This is especially important if interested in teaching in North Dakota.

Below are more articles related to the teacher hiring in North Dakota:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/07/07/regional/nd-teachers/  

http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-teaching/l-williston,+nd
(discusses variety of jobs available)

http://www.indeed.com/q-Teacher-l-North-Dakota-jobs.html
(discusses variety of jobs available)