ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – While some research suggests that New Mexico is seeing a decline in teacher vacancies, there are seemingly hundreds of vacant teaching positions statewide every year. Why is it so hard to fill vacancies, and what’s behind the challenge of keeping teachers in New Mexico?

Those are questions that the Golden Apple Foundation is working to address in the state. In recent years, the foundation launched a New Mexico teacher recruitment and retention pipeline program called the Golden Apple Scholars Program.

This week on KRQE News 13’s “New Mexico News Podcast,” Chris McKee and Gabrielle Burkhart talk with Alan Mather of Santa Fe, President of the Golden Apple Foundation. After more than three decades working in the Chicago Public Schools, Mather now oversees the Golden Apple Scholars Program in New Mexico, which offers support networks, paid summer professional development, classroom teaching opportunities, mentoring, and job placement support to aspiring teachers.

Mather explains the purpose of the program, and the success behind its aim toward keeping New Mexico teachers working in the communities they’re from. For more information on the program, including information on how to apply, visit the Golden Apple Scholars Program’s website.

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Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Podcast every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Podbean among many others.

Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term “KRQE” or “New Mexico News Podcast” (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each respective service, or listen to the audio player at the top of this post.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion as to who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email the hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com.