New program aims to train students to become teachers

Pennsylvania high schoolers could soon take on the role of teachers through a new program that will allow students to explore possible careers in education while giving them classroom experience.

The K-12 teacher education course, which could be implemented at participating school districts as early as next year, will be part of career and technical education offerings. Through class options, students will be introduced to the teaching profession and gain hands-on experience through things such as classroom observations.

The program aims to filter students into the teacher pipeline following high school graduation as Pennsylvania continues to see fewer teaching certifications issued.

“I applaud the program,” Sherri Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, said. “I think it’s great. It’s never been more timely for us to have such an opportunity for our students.”

Curriculum was discussed during a January state board of education meeting. There, Tomás Hanna, the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s chief talent officer, said the goal is to expose teaching careers to young learners while also incentivizing men and people of color to enter into the profession, Philadelphia-based WHYY-FM radio station reported.

“We’re not saying that a senior in high school is going to come out teaching in our schools,” Hanna said during the meeting. “What we’re saying is we have to get young people into the profession and aware of the profession earlier.”

The statistics

The program comes as the number of teaching certifications in Pennsylvania have rapidly declined. Pennsylvania in 2010 issued about 15,000 new in-state teacher certifications. That number plummeted to just more than 5,000 for the 202021 school year, according to data from the state’s education department.

Additionally, during the 2018-19 school year, almost 94% of teachers were white. Only 4% were Black and 1% were Latino, according to The Education Trust. Less than 1% were Asian or multiracial.