As Teacher Shortage Crisis Continues, PA Looks To New Solution

HARRISBURG, PA — Another round of legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly is taking aim at the ongoing teacher and staffing shortage that has reached a crisis point at many school districts around the state.

House Bill 141 would create a "Grown Your Own' program that would offer assistance to paraprofessionals and other school support staff who want to go back to college to earn a teaching degree.

The bill passed through the Pennsylvania House Education Committee Monday and will now head to the floor for general consideration. It's gained some bipartisan traction and was praised effusively by the state's largest teacher's union.

“The commonwealth is not producing enough teachers to meet demand, and, as a result, we risk not having enough caring, qualified adults in our school buildings to address the many challenges our students face,” Pennsylania State Education Association President Rich Askey said. “‘Grow Your Own’ programs can really help to alleviate the school staff shortage crisis."

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Pennsylvania is now facing a 65 percent annual decline in new educators joining the workforce. According to lawmakers who plan to introduce a bill to address the issue, in 2010, Pennsylvania had about 20,000 new teachers certified each year. By 2022, that number was down to 7,000 per year.

The House bill is just the latest measure considered by lawmakers to address the issue. Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal calls for three years of up to $2,500 a year in tax incentives to newly certified teachers, as well as nurses and police officers. And a forthcoming package of bills called "Elevating Teachers" focuses on streamlining, simplifying, and making more affordable the process of becoming a teacher.

The pandemic only spurred more teachers to leave the profession, coupled with the decreasing number entering. But the teacher workforce was already decreasing before coronavirus hit. Combined with a growing population and a growing focus on improving the quality of education, the need for more teachers is increasing at the exact moment the availability is plummeting. Advocates for action say that systemic change is needed.

“We need to make it free to become a teacher to attract more people into the profession, but we can’t recruit teachers into a burning building," said Fatim Byrd, a Pennsylvania educator who works with the group PA Needs Teachers.

Askey has also called for a $60,000 minimum teacher salary, and $20 an hour minimum wage for education support professionals like bus drivers and cafeteria workers. Neither points have been directly met in Harrisburg, though lawmakers have called for raises.

Elevate Teachers would raise the minimum teacher salary from $18,500 to $50,000 — not quite the number the union is looking for, but a substantial increase nonetheless. The bills would also create a grant program to recruit students, paraprofessionals,a nd parents to support high-need schools. And it would provide grants to colleges to create or expand programs to help certify more teachers.