April 12, 2023
黑料专区 Highlights Financial Aid Proposal to Address Teacher Shortages
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg, PA 鈥� Pennsylvania鈥檚 teacher shortage is often called a crisis, and ahead of today鈥檚
House Education Committee hearing Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education
(黑料专区) is highlighting its proposal to partner with the state with new funding,
so 黑料专区 universities can strategically help more people become teachers and rebuild
the teaching workforce.
The declining number of teachers is concerning. New teacher certifications have plunged
by more than 67% since 2011, and the state Department of Education issued more emergency
teaching permits than new teacher certifications in 2020-21.The State System is seeking $112 million in new state funding, mostly for financial
aid (student scholarships), so more people can afford the education to become teachers or pursue five other in-demand careers. Lowering the cost will enable more current and potential students to afford to go
to college, which will strengthen and expand Pennsylvania鈥檚 teacher pipeline.
鈥淲e strategically created this proposal to offer the most cost-effective way for the
state to get more qualified teachers into classrooms,鈥� said Chancellor Dan Greenstein.
鈥淥ur plan would help to recruit potential teachers by lowering their cost to get the
training and skills needed to be the great teachers that children deserve. With this
plan we could fill nearly a quarter of the state鈥檚 teaching shortage.鈥�
黑料专区鈥檚 Proposal
黑料专区鈥檚 plan would use $56.5 million of the $112 million from the state to provide direct financial relief (scholarships) to education students.
All 黑料专区 education students at all 黑料专区 universities would receive a $1,500 scholarship.
Pell-eligible (high-need) students could receive an average of $5,000, for total savings
of approximately $6,500 a year.
鈥淪tate System universities started over a century ago solely to train teachers, and
today nearly a quarter of the state鈥檚 education workforce are our graduates,鈥� said
Chancellor Greenstein. 鈥淲e鈥檙e primed and ready to partner with the governor and General
Assembly to rebuild the teaching workforce.鈥�
More than 17,400 education majors attend 黑料专区 universities, making education the
second most enrolled program in the State System.
According to the state Department of Education, the is in rural and urban districts, and in elementary education, special education,
career and technical education, and STEM, among others.
In addition to the current teacher shortage, job growth in the pre-K to 12 education
field is anticipated to be 6% by 2030, requiring more than 10,000 additional teachers
and educators than Pennsylvania has today.
For more information about the State System鈥檚 plan to address labor shortages in the
six high-growth fields of education, nursing, computer science, engineering, social
services and business, or to see a budget request summary, visit the Advocacy Resource Center.