Penn State’s number of new in-state teacher certifications last school year was 4,220 — an all-time low, and the number was higher than 16,000 a decade ago, and some are wondering what can be done to help address a growing workforce shortage. The downward trend of newly certified teachers in Pennsylvania is nothing new, but it does mean that districts have to be more competitive when it comes to making sure there are enough teachers for each classroom. “I absolutely love my job. I wake up so happy to be here,” said teacher Bailey Stone. “Every day Stone teaches Grade 1 students at Sporting Hill Elementary in Cumberland Valley School District. It is not easy to become a teacher or become a teacher. “That’s a challenge. It’s a really rigorous program. You have to do a lot of extra testing that other majors don’t have to do. And then while teaching students, as we all know, it’s unpaid time,” she says, lobbiing the Pennsylvania Teachers Union. for a $60,000 minimum salary for teachers and new scholarship programs to reduce student loan debt.”I think this could be just as valuable as looking at the salary,” said Superintendent David Christopher. They are looking both inside and outside Penn State.Christopher also believes there is a need to tone down the rhetoric surrounding teachers and teaching as a profession, saying that a change of attitude can help more teachers stay in the profession.
The number of new in-state teacher certifications in Pennsylvania last school year was 4,220 — an all-time low.
This number was higher than 16,000 a decade ago.
He has some questioning what can be done to help address the growing workforce shortage.
The downward trend of newly certified teachers in Pennsylvania is nothing new, but it does mean that districts have to be more competitive when it comes to making sure there are enough teachers for each class.
“I absolutely love my job. I wake up so happy to come here every day,” said teacher Billy Stone.
Stone teaches first graders at Sporting Hill Elementary School in the Cumberland Valley School District.
“My mom is a teacher, so I kind of grew up around education,” she said.
But Stone said it is not easy being or becoming a teacher.
“It’s a challenge. It’s a really rigorous program. You have to take a lot of additional testing that other majors don’t have to do. And then while you’re teaching students, as we all know, it’s unpaid time,” she said.
The Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers is pushing for a $60,000 minimum salary for teachers and new scholarship programs to reduce student loan debt.
“I think this can be just as valuable as looking at the salary,” said supervisor David Christopher.
There is a smaller pool of candidates who are qualified to teach, Christopher said, and those candidates are looking in and out of Pennsylvania for positions.
“In high schools, special education, it’s very difficult to fill in some of these areas for everyone,” he said.
Christopher also believes there is a need to tone down the rhetoric surrounding teachers and teaching as a profession, saying that a change of attitude can help more teachers stay in the profession.