EDUCATION »» SCHOOL EFFICIENCY »» TEACHER SHORTAGE »» Sep 04, 2023

American public schools are facing a teacher shortage of epic proportion. This is due to the retirement of older teachers, increasing pupil enrollment and laws limiting the size of classrooms. It is estimated we need at least 316,000 new teachers and administrators by 2025 to avoid a critical shortage. Particularly acute is the shortage of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers. Already, many school districts are short-handed and overly dependent on substitute teachers, many of whom are not certified. Compensation for teachers, particularly for public school teachers, has historically lagged behind other comparable occupations. Some advocates say our teacher shortage is not so much a shortage in absolute numbers as it is in distribution. There has long been a shortage of qualified teachers who are willing to teach in rural and urban areas, particularly in schools which serve low-income and minority students. Others claim shortages are caused by high turnover rates, particularly among the most qualified and effective educators. Presumably, many of these professionals have moved on to higher paying jobs. Pending Legislation: H.R.882 - American Teacher Act Sponsor: Rep. Frederica Wilson (FL) Status: House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairperson: Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC) I oppose reforming current teacher shortage policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of either Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA). I support establishing grants to increase the minimum salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers, and authorizing a national campaign regarding the value of the teaching profession by: 1.) Directing the Department of Education (ED) to award four-year grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to establish a minimum annual salary of $60,000 (to be adjusted annually for inflation) for these teachers. 2.) Directing ED to award grants to eligible state educational agencies to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the annual base salary of teachers. 3.) Authorizing ED to carry out a national campaign to (a.) increase awareness about the importance of teachers and the value of the teaching profession, (b.) encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching as a professional career, and (c.) diversify the pool of individuals who enter the teaching profession. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

Winning Option »» I support establishing grants to increase the minimum salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers, and authorizing a national campaign regarding the value of the teaching profession by: 1.) Directing the Department of Education (ED) to award four-year grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to establish a minimum annual salary of $60,000 (to be adjusted annually for inflation) for these teachers. 2.) Directing ED to award grants to eligible state educational agencies to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the annual base salary of teachers. 3.) Authorizing ED to carry out a national campaign to (a.) increase awareness about the importance of teachers and the value of the teaching profession, (b.) encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching as a professional career, and (c.) diversify the pool of individuals who enter the teaching profession. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

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