Attention, kids. Class is in session. 💁🏻♀️📓 And if you have a student teacher today, you better not pull any funny business. If you get caught making spitballs, you’re headed straight to the principal’s office. 🏃
Pennsylvania’s new student teaching program is a really great concept, but is there enough funding to make it worthwhile? 🤔
Here’s Five Fast Facts on PA student teacher stipends:
- 🍎 Popular Demand - Last month, a new student teaching program in PA opened up for applications. The program gives each student teacher a $10,000 stipend. It also provides an additional $5,000 to those placed in schools with few student teachers or high vacancy rates. Over 3,500 people applied for the new program within two hours…
- 💵 Cash Crunch - …however, funding for the program only covers between 600 and 700 program participants. Almost 4,000 student teachers applied so far and the awards will be given out on a first come-first serve basis.
- 📉 It’s Shrinkage - Pennsylvania is facing a shrinking supply of new teachers and advocates want the state to expand the program to cater to the high demand. They’re lobbying for the program’s funding to increase to $75 million (up from $10 million). They also want an additional $10 million to go towards training high school students to become teachers.
- 🥴 Hot for Teacher - How bad is PA’s teacher shortage? According to a recent analysis, the state is in need of roughly 15,000 teachers to fill open positions, replace teachers who are retiring or leaving the profession, or who aren’t properly certified. The amount of teachers needed is over double the number of new teachers certified in the state every year.
- 💭 Final Exam - Current student teachers are passionate about their career choice, but also have concerns. Some worry about the anxiety and pressure of being assessed by supervisors. Others are worried that society doesn’t place enough value on teachers and low pay rates.
🔥Bottom line: Like Whitney Houston said, the children are our future. If we don’t teach them well, how will they ever lead the way? Teachers work super hard and deserve to earn a decent paycheck. PA boosting the student teacher program is a great way to help solve the shortage.
Are you a student teacher in PA?
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