LPI In the News

Education Talk Radio with Larry Jacobs | In a 40-minute interview, Leib Sutcher and Anne Podolsky of the Learning Policy Institute talk about the current teacher shortage that could become a crisis if no action is taken. Issues addressed include: attrition as a major factor in the shortage; approaches to solving the shortage; state differences in the availability of teachers; how Millennials view teaching as a profession; and cycles of teacher shortages.

Education Week/Commentary by Justin Louie | A high school chemistry teacher posits that a supportive environment and opportunities to hone skills “in a nonjudgmental space” are critical to improving teacher skills and improving retention. The article refers to a Learning Policy Institute report showing a dip in the number of California teaching credentials for science teachers.

The Colorado Independent by Corey Hutchins | Such issues as the environment, health care, guns, and education are tackled in an extensive article about the possibility of a change in party leadership in the Colorado Legislature. An education leader says a change in party control hasn’t improved education funding in the past. A Learning Policy Institute report shows a 20% decrease in teacher salaries since 1992, according to the article.

Asbury Park Press by Amanda Oglesby | New Jersey teacher pay is among the highest in the nation, and there is competition for teaching positions in some areas. Still, the teacher shortage that is examined in a Learning Policy Institute report covered in the article is evident in New Jersey schools in specific subject areas, such as special education, science, math, English as a second language, and world languages.

NPR/All Things Considered by Eric Westervelt and Kat Lonsdorf | Overemphasis on testing, lack of resources, toxic politics, and, to a lesser extent, money are some of the reasons teachers give for leaving the profession long before reaching retirement age. The broadcast refers to the Learning Policy Institute report stating that the teaching force is a “leaky bucket” and quotes President Linda Darling-Hammond on working conditions and teacher preparation. This broadcast and a written report were heard and appeared on NPR stations across the country.

rtv7abc by Kara Kenney | While noting that a Learning Policy Institute study puts Indiana below most states in retaining teachers, the report focuses on one school district, Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation in Hancock County, which has a better than average retention rate. Higher pay, regular encouragement and acknowledgments from administrators, weekly professional development, and leadership opportunities are just some of the ways the district makes teachers want to stay.

Denver Business Journal by Caitlin Hendee | The president of the Colorado Education Association, a conservative public policy analyst, and an executive education professor offer their explanations for the difficulty in finding enough teachers to fill classrooms. Pay, government funding, and district location are highlighted. The article refers to Colorado’s rating in the Learning Policy Institute’s report on a teacher shortage.

The Atlantic by Timothy Walker | Teacher stress or burnout is often a result of demand from administrators that “has teachers being pulled in so many different directions.” Pointing to the Learning Policy Institute study showing that dissatisfaction is the primary reason American teachers leave the profession, the author pleads with school leaders to think carefully when asking teachers to take on a new initiative.

Education Week by Marc Tucker | The way to put a halt to the teacher shortage and to ensure American schoolchildren a good education is not to set the bar lower for incoming teachers, the author argues. Instead, the U.S. should professionalize teaching.

Education Week Teacher by Brenda Iasevoli | Taking a cue from the medical field, three universities have started teacher residency programs designed to give prospective teachers the training — and the confidence — they need to keep them in the profession and to connect with their students. A teacher shortage report by the Learning Policy Institute notes that residency-style programs have proved to be particularly effective at recruiting diverse candidates, who often go to high-needs schools.