Some officials from major schools districts in Pima County have addressed the many teacher vacancies they’re facing at the start of this new school year.

Pay raises are helping, but Vail Unified said something not seen in many other districts is helping even more. Arizona’s teacher shortage is nearly nonexistent in the Vail Unified School District. Of the 22 schools, there are just two open teacher positions.

Teachers statewide saw a five percent raise this year. It’s part of Gov. Doug Ducey’s ’20 by 2020′ plan, which started off giving teachers a 10 percent raise, and five percent each of the next two years.

But Vail is doing something other districts have shied away from. It’s called the Pathway to Alternative Certification for Educators, or PACE.

“We are the only state board-approved classroom-based certificate program,” said Vail Curriculum Coordinator Brandy Dujmic.

She says the program started last year after Gov. Ducey signed a bill in 2017 that allowed districts to hire people that want to teach but don’t have formal teacher training.

But Vail is’t hiring just anybody. One requirement is that applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.

“It’s actually very intensive in a way before we allow people in, because we want to make sure that they’re high quality and that they fit within the district and they understand the position and the job,” said Dujmic.

She says many of their applicants are interested in making a career change from other professions. The first cohort is currently in the process of completing the two-year program.

Dujmic says the district expects the program to also help with teacher retention and ultimately help students in the classroom.

“We do find a lot of second career people who come to us, but also community members who have taken some time off and away from their careers and have found that this is where they belong and they want to make a difference,” said Dujmic.

Some of the other districts in the area – TUSD has 62 teacher vacancies down from 126 in February. Sunnyside says there are 34 open teacher positions right now and Sahaurita has five.