HARRISBURG, Pa. — State Rep. Mike Schlossberg and his political allies gathered on the steps of the state Capitol Building on Wednesday in a bid to pressure the state Senate to take action on a bill that would create a teacher training program that's sat dormant for over a year.
In May 2023, the House passed Schlossberg's proposal for a Grow-Your-Own Educator program by a 120-81 vote. The bill would attempt to address a growing shortage of teachers and paraprofessionals by creating a grant program where schools could recruit students, community members and other staff members to pursue or further their careers in education.
Participants would receive free or reduced tuition at a partner college and be mentored by staff at their host school.
The bill would require the Department of Education to prioritize grants to schools facing specific problems such as teacher shortages, financial distress or underperforming marks would be prioritized.
The bill did not establish a funding amount for the program, but a budget analysis determined the grant program would need $382,000 to cover administrative costs.
Education funding battle
The bill passed the House with about a dozen Republicans, including all five of the Lehigh Valley's GOP representatives, joining the Democratic majority. And while Gov. Josh Shapiro has backed the bill, it's been stuck in committee in the Senate for over a year without movement.
Education funding is gearing up to be a major battle in the General Assembly this year. A Superior Court judge ruled last year that the state's current funding formula is unconstitutional.
"If we actually create these pipeline programs, we can get teachers that have life experiences that are reflective of the schools in which they attended."State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh
The Democratic-controlled House and Shapiro have called for a major increase in school funding while the Republican-controlled Senate has pushed for giving families more options to pursue education outside their home school district.
But Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, and state Sen. Caroline Comitta, D-Chester, said none of those proposals will matter if Pennsylvania doesn't act quickly to find more teachers. As of October, schools reported 21,000 vacant teacher jobs, with about a quarter of those positions being filled with long-term substitutes.
"Grow-Your-Own Educators is a program that can be part of the solution," Comitta said Wednesday.
Schlossberg noted the program would come with the added benefit of bringing in teachers who are engaged with their communities.
Students will be able to identify with their teachers because they walked the same halls and come from the same neighborhoods, helping build stronger bonds within the school, he said.
"If we actually create these pipeline programs, we can get teachers that have life experiences that are reflective of the schools in which they attended," Schlossberg said.
Teachers' union support
The program has earned the support of the PSEA, the state's powerful teachers' union. Jeff Ney, its vice president, noted that the grants could pave the way for people to commit to lifelong goals.
Many people aspire to become teachers or paraprofessionals, he said, but the cost of acquiring the proper certification acts as a barrier. Some are already in these schools but lack the funds to get their on their own.
"The problem is that too many caring qualified adults who would make great teachers simply can't afford to do so," Ney said.
