The emerging shortage of teachers in a growing number of districts and subject areas has cast a cold light on the numerous challenges facing the teaching profession. These include salaries that are much lower than those in jobs or professions that require as much or less academic preparation, an expectation that teachers can mitigate the impact of income levels and neighborhood conditions on academic performance, and the dwindling amount to time teachers have for professional learning and collaboration with other teachers. EdSource examines these challenges — and what can be done to overcome them.
For long-term and lasting solutions, we must attract more young people to enter the teaching profession and give them the training and support they need to succeed.
The state's "whole child" model stresses collaborating with parents, teachers and community organizations; 265 districts are to receive initial funding.
State and federal legislators must enact measures to alleviate the conditions causing California teachers to quit. The public must demand action before we can't even keep our schools open.
California has fewer credentialed teacher librarians in its school libraries per student than almost every state in the nation, a fact that research shows could be hurting students academically.
To increase educator diversity, state, county and district leaders should gather as a community to learn and share best practices for recruiting, supporting and retaining teachers of color.
