WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — Despite fewer jobs as a result of school consolidations, teacher vacancies are still a huge issue both locally and on a national level.

There were at least 21 school consolidations in West Virginia last school year, according to state board of education officials, but there are still many open teaching positions, especially in special education.

It’s not clear yet how many jobs were lost as a result of consolidations, but teachers in Braxton County said they see about the same number of vacancies each year.

Janice Collins is a veteran teacher who felt compelled to become an educator, even though she knew what the challenges would be.

“I had this intrinsic need that I want to help other people,” Collins said. “There is always hesitation in the profession based on pay. You will never become rich being a teacher."

Knowing that didn’t deter Emily White from chasing her dream either. She knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was in kindergarten. She’s now in her second year of teaching at Braxton County as a special education teacher.

She said a lot of people don’t like all the paperwork that comes with being a special education teacher.

According to administration there, about 20% of Braxton County students will start the year with an uncertified teacher. Those are filled by long-term substitutes, but the problem is state-wide.

According to the West Virginia State Board of Education, there are more than 1,000 job openings. More than 100 are in elementary, 63 in middle school and 75 in high school. The most positions needed are hourly employees at more than 200. Those jobs consist of coaches, tutors and after-school workers. There are also 97 aides still needed. However, these numbers are changing daily.

There are many other administrative and support roles open.

Many of the rural counties are seeing higher numbers because of location. Amanda Peyton, assistant superintendent of McDowell County Schools, said they have around 30 vacancies.

“We have great people here," she said. "It’s just unfortunate that we don’t have the resources in our area to hold onto our staff and McDowell County can’t offer, but we try to hold on to them as much as we can.”

Why can’t we seem to find a solution to this long-time problem? Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, said we should be asking the right people for a solution.

“We never ask the experts who are the educator in the classroom," he said. "We have people who think they are the experts because everyone went to school once."

Lee said last year there were more than 1,500 positions with uncertified teachers.

“This year it may go down a little bit only because of the number of teaching positions across the state that we are going to lose because of loss of enrollment,” he said.

Another trend happening is the fewer colleges and universities are offering education programs.

Melissa Adkins with Braxton County Schools said if you teach there, you’ll witness their amazing sense of community and culture in the school—something they have worked hard at evolving the past few years.

Adkins said they’ve changed the culture so much, they avoided a state takeover.

“We have the best school culture hands down," she said. "This is a great place to work. Our community supports the school system."

For those who are called to the profession, they say you won’t find benefits like the ones found in education anywhere else.

"Am I in it for the fame and money? Absolutely not. But that outcome, what those kids get out of it, I'm addicted to that, and I want to give it to every kid I can,” Collins said.

New numbers on job losses and certified teachers will be released in October.