At both a House Education Committee hearing and the March 16th PA State Board of Education Meeting, Deputy Sec. Tanya Garcia expressed concern regarding the  current shortage of teachers in the Commonwealth and the increasingly dwindling number of those entering the field.  According to Garcia, who is also the commissioner of the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), since 2010 there has been a 66% decline in both undergraduate education majors in the state and newly issued in-state teaching certifications.

Although the shortage existed prior to the pandemic, it has been exacerbated by it. Prior to COVID-19,  issues with competitive pay, college loan debts, a lack of diversity, and political pressures have made the profession less attractive.

Garcia said the state needs to find means to attract new teachers, including a focus on increasing diversity by attracting minorities. Other remedies must address increased wages and financial incentives, as well as improving and/or developing mentoring programs. In addition, “Grow-Your-Own” (GYO) programs are being implemented across the country to attract new teachers. GYO programs, which are typically partnerships between schools, districts, community organizations, and teacher preparation programs, recruit and train teachers from within communities to bring racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity and skills such as bilingualism into schools.

Adding to the shortage crisis is a lack of substitute teachers that has resulted in staff having to fill gaps when subs are unavailable.

For more on this topic from the Morning Call, click here.

For additional information from City & State Pennsylvania, click here.