Teacher shortage

Even in this difficult economic period, there are some jobs that hold little appeal for college students. The teaching profession is one of them.

Whether we chalk it up to the long work hours, thankless parents or the lack of institutional support, teaching sadly ranks low in newly graduated college students’ preferences. This is ironic, given that the union structure and governmental bureaucracy make teaching one of the stabler professions right now.

Even so, this stability could be short-lived. A report recently released by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future paints a very dire picture for the future of teaching in this country.

According to the non-partisan organization, more than a third of the country’s 3.2 million teachers could retire during the next four years, creating a massive need for quality instructors. The problem isn’t limited just to veteran teachers: The report also states that one out of every three new teachers leaves the profession within five years, largely because of low pay and work conditions.

While much can be said about the state of teaching today, the Editorial Board views this report as an opportunity to reframe the dialogue about education reform. Instead of focusing on declining student test scores or outdated state standards, it is essential to note that much of the crisis in our public schools stems from poor teacher recruitment and retention.

Some innovative programs have recognized this as the key to reform, and the results so far have been encouraging. One such example is Teach for America, a national corps of recently graduated college students who commit to teaching for two years in some of the country’s most underserved communities. For the 2009 teaching corps, the organization received about 35,000 applications, representing a 42 percent increase from last year.

While the lack of jobs in the corporate sector undoubtedly contributed to this jump in applications, Teach for America has also succeeded by making its selection
process more competitive and prestigious. The result is that talented students who would have previously dismissed teaching as a profession are more likely to consider it. This rebranding is precisely the sort needed by the teaching community.

Increasing the prestige of teaching lies not just in supporting pay hikes, but in raising the requirements needed in order to become certified as well. Moreover, the quality of instruction provided at education schools around the country must better match the needs of potential teachers.

Finally, in a welcomed rebuke to teacher’s unions, President Barack Obama has demonstrated his commitment to merit pay. If teaching is to remain competitive and attractive, instructors must be paid according to the results produced, not number of years worked.

To be sure, these recommendations are obviously not the golden bullet for solving the crisis of teacher recruitment and retention in this country. However, it is a start, and given the magnitude of the problem facing us, any delay is lamentable.