In Alaska, even with very high salaries, remoteness and housing shortages contribute to teacher shortages. One participant noted that teacher shortages have led many districts into hiring long-term substitutes since there are no state certification requirements for substitutes. Some rural states do not presently have shortages, except in specific subject areas. Many rural areas and states have begun developing a variety of strategies to combat this problem. Alaska, for example, has instituted a statewide clearinghouse for job openings and for posting candidate resumes.
Many states hold job fairs.
Mississippi offers loan repayment for students who teach in rural areas. Rural schools often do not have the fiscal resources to be able to compete with suburban and urban districts and offer comparable salaries and benefits. Second, the link between the economic health of rural communities and rural schools needs to be recognized. And lastly, rural citizens need to be active in promoting the assets and attractiveness of both teaching as a profession, and of rural communities as wonderful places to live. Changing markets and environmental concerns are some of the factors that have resulted in a reduction of timber revenues in recent years, especially in western states.