Holly Carlson-Jukes dreams of leaving the job she’s dedicated 20 years of her life to. Since her Kansas City, Kansas, middle school started up again last month, most days she’s had to cover other classes that have unfilled teaching positions and not enough substitutes. After school, she clocks in at her second job, framing pictures at a craft store, to help pay the bills. She is one of the many Kansas City metro educators who feel burned-out and defeated in a field they say has long had low pay and little respect, and now faces mounting workloads because of severe staff shortages. “We are at a level of despair,” Carlson-Jukes said. “And no one is coming to help. There is no white horse coming.” This summer, labor shortages reached crisis levels, district officials say, making it harder than ever to educate, transport and feed students. “This was the most challenging time that we’ve had in my tenure as superintendent in filling all of our positions,” Independence Superintendent Dal...