Van Cleef: There’s a Huge Gap Between How We Talk About Teachers & How We Treat Them. Some Ways to Make Teaching the Sought-After Profession It Should Be
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To gain insight into the current teacher shortages affecting schools nationwide this winter, consider watching an episode of the recently released sitcom Abbott Elementary. The show revolves around teachers at a fictional South Philadelphia school and accurately portrays two ongoing issues in the teacher job market that contribute to this year’s staffing challenges.
Firstly, teacher shortages are not a new phenomenon, especially in schools serving low-income communities. These schools have historically had the fewest qualified educators and the highest turnover rates. In the show, one character serves as a substitute teacher, covering for a teacher who left midyear. This occurrence was already common in these schools prior to the pandemic. Additionally, many school districts have long struggled to attract teachers in subjects such as math and science, as well as hiring a sufficient number of Black and brown teachers to address the diversity gap, which research shows is detrimental to students.
However, Abbott Elementary derives most of its humor from a second truth: the disparity between how we praise teachers and how they are actually treated. Watching the characters beg for supplies on TikTok or deal with malfunctioning bathrooms highlights the fact that, despite our admiration for teachers, their profession appears designed to discourage the newest generation of workers during the "Great Reshuffle." The starting salaries for teachers are 25 percent lower than those in many other white-collar professions. Furthermore, teachers have limited opportunities for career advancement without leaving the classroom, and many work in dilapidated buildings lacking basic amenities found in typical office spaces. This value proposition has always been unacceptable, but particularly so in the current economy. Consequently, even before the pandemic, over 40 percent of teachers left the profession within their first five years, while many individuals who obtained teaching licenses never entered the classroom in the first place.
Both education insiders and those outside the field have allowed these issues to persist for decades. Now, in light of the added challenges posed by the pandemic, the consequences of this inaction are becoming evident. While specific details may vary across districts, the common themes we hear from the hundreds of school systems we collaborate with are alarming. Schools struggle to find enough substitute teachers to cover absences, and many educators are contemplating quitting, with some already resigning. Moreover, fewer people are applying to fill the vacant positions. Beyond the shortages witnessed this year, there is a legitimate concern that insufficient numbers of people will pursue teaching careers in the coming years and beyond. These trends will have far-reaching implications beyond just schools, as educational institutions produce future workers for all industries. Superintendents and principals can take immediate steps to address current teaching vacancies by referring to the recently published guide by TNTP, which offers specific ideas to help. However, districts cannot tackle the underlying causes of these challenges alone. Resolving these issues necessitates coordinated action from both the public and private sectors, as well as a reevaluation of fundamental aspects of the teaching profession.
One essential step is to make teaching more accessible to a broader range of individuals. The conventional path to becoming a teacher involves investing several years and substantial finances in a graduate degree, which many people simply cannot afford. Those specializing in shortage areas such as special education and bilingual education often face even greater financial burdens. To address this, states like Tennessee are fostering partnerships among school districts, universities, labor unions, and business groups to expand "grow your own" training programs for aspiring local teachers. These programs offer more affordability and flexibility compared to traditional education schools. Policymakers can also contribute by refocusing licensure regulations on demonstrated teaching competence, rather than placing excessive emphasis on formal credentials or standardized tests that disproportionately disadvantage people of color.
Secondly, it is crucial to recognize that teachers, like any professionals, are concerned about their compensation and working conditions. States should invest in more competitive teacher salaries right from the start of a teacher’s career, even if it requires allocating fewer funds to pensions in the long term. School systems should establish leadership roles that provide a career ladder and larger raises for successful teachers who choose to remain in the classroom. Districts must also prioritize building maintenance, school culture, and all other aspects of teachers’ daily working conditions.
Assisting individuals from diverse backgrounds in pursuing careers as teachers.
The current surge of the Omicron variant has exacerbated the challenges faced by schools when it comes to staffing, which are deeply rooted in long-standing issues. In order for children to have the necessary educators to recover from the effects of the pandemic, and for communities and businesses to have the workforces they require to prosper, we cannot afford to delay any further. The time has come to transform the perception of teaching, shifting it from being the subject of sitcom jokes to the esteemed profession it deserves to be seen as.
Victoria Van Cleef serves as an executive vice president at TNTP, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting school systems throughout the country in addressing educational inequities and achieving their objectives for the success of students.
