UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Yildirim Yayla is working to earn a teacher’s certification at DeSales University in Center Valley.
Yayla wants to teach pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, and pupils who are learning English as a second language.
Originally from Turkey, Yayla is just what the state is looking for — young people excited about going into elementary education.
- Area students are graduating with education degrees but the state is facing teacher shortages
- A new report says incentives should be offered to go into and stay in the profession
- A State Senate Committee will hold a hearing on the issue next week
That’s because a new report on the state’s teacher shortages paints a bleak picture. It addresses the root causes of the shortages and advocates for widespread changes.
The report, "#PANeedsTeachers: Addressing Pennsylvania’s Teacher Shortage Crisis Through Systemic Solutions," was written by Laura Boyce of Teach Plus Pennsylvania and Amy Morton of the National Center on Education and the Economy.
The state Senate Education Committee is set to hold a hearing next week on the issue.
Some of the proposed fixes, such as paying student teachers or covering the cost of someone studying to be a teacher, were discussed in the report and also at a teacher shortage summit last fall in Harrisburg.
Yayla said he wants to go into teaching in part because of the mentoring he received in high school.
“I like to help children and help youth because, you know, I personally feel that connection helps me develop myself, but at the same time helping to develop those children,” he said. “Which I think is a great exchange.”
“Pennsylvania has a particularly acute shortage of educators of color, with only 6% of the educator workforce identifying as persons of color, compared to 37% of the student population."Report: #PANeedsTeachers: Addressing Pennsylvania’s Teacher Shortage Crisis Through Systemic Solutions
But interest in the education field continues to decline, which is one of four root causes for teacher shortages in Pennsylvania. There’s also a financial disincentive because the cost of college and other expenses to enter the profession continue to increase while the pay remains comparatively low.
The report also found teachers don’t receive the support they need early on, making them less likely to succeed and burn out due to stressful and isolating conditions in the classroom. The profession also lacks career advancement.
The report cites a critical shortage of teachers of color.
“Pennsylvania has a particularly acute shortage of educators of color, with only 6% of the educator workforce identifying as persons of color, compared to 37% of the student population,” the report said.
“If starting salaries for new teachers had kept pace with inflation over the last 3 decades, a first-year teacher would be making $46,762 per year right now. Instead, the average annual income for a new teacher is around $41,780…”https://t.co/t3clWffLPK
— PSEA Gov Relations (@PSEA_GR) March 22, 2022
Angela Fitterer, Pennsylvania executive deputy secretary of education, said one of the things the state can do is to make sure students are supported while earning their certification so they know early on if teaching is a good fit for them.
“It’s a really hard job and so much has changed and there are challenges,” she said during a visit to DeSales last week. “It’s important that you’re not down a track and in the job and find out you’re mis-trained for where your love is.”
The report advocates for school districts to invest in educator retention and create ladders of advancement opportunities, improve pay, and develop more pathways into teaching.
The report encourages incentives, not lowering the bar for becoming a teacher.
DeSales University recently received two state grants aimed at recruiting new teachers to the workforce.
