Remove barriers to teaching profession

We need to find better ways to recruit and retain teachers in our classrooms

It’s no secret that teachers are burnt out. In the past two years, one in four teachers have considered leaving the education profession. For a profession that has historically struggled with staffing shortages, COVID has only exacerbated the problem — and the highest-needs schools are experiencing the most severe shortages. In order to address these staffing shortages, we need to create additional accessible pathways to teaching and increase staff retention in our schools.

Staffing shortages are compounding issues that are further exacerbated by systemic issues in our districts. When these issues result in teachers leaving, teachers that stay are further burdened, have more added to their plates and are therefore more likely to leave.

This feeds into a repetitive cycle. If we do not address staffing issues at the beginning, and find ways to bring more teachers into the classroom, we will never close the gap. In Connecticut, we currently have a large number of support staff in the classroom who are ready and willing to become educators, but the current process to become a teacher is exhausting, expensive and incredibly time consuming.

Research suggests that watching teachers perform in the classroom can better indicate teacher quality over traditional multiple choice licensure assessments. Experiential assessments are less cost-prohibitive than traditional licensure tests, and give a more accurate idea of what teaching entails. Pathways that value classroom time and experience over testing and additional degrees get prospective teachers in the classroom sooner, allowing them to know what to expect and to make them more likely to succeed.

In Connecticut, teachers of color comprise only 8 percent of the educator workforce, while over 40 percent of students today are children of color. When students do not see themselves represented among teachers in the classroom, they likely will not view teaching as a future career choice for themselves. Some districts in Connecticut have implemented “Grow Your Own” programs. This is a strong pathway to teaching that allows students to view education as a viable career option from an early age, increasing the likelihood of these students becoming teachers as they continue through school. This will not only create a sense of community, but will also help to increase teacher diversity within our schools.

We need to ensure we are finding ways to retain new teachers entering the profession. Teachers in high-needs districts are overworked and often underpaid and the majority of teachers during last school year were concerned about balancing work, family and personal responsibilities. While not decreasing their responsibilities, paying these teachers what is fair will make them feel more acknowledged and appreciated and more likely to remain in the profession. And with more professionals remaining in the classroom, teachers will have more time to safeguard their own mental health and support their students with less risk of burnout.

Additionally, with more teachers in the classroom, veteran teachers and new teachers have more time to build working relationships. While building a sense of community, this also gives new teachers a network of professionals to turn to when feeling overwhelmed. This kind of support will help new teachers acclimate to the classroom, remain in schools, move up the ranks of teaching and be better teachers for their students.

“The staffing shortages in our classrooms make it harder for teachers like myself to build strong relationships with my students because I have so much on my plate,” said Mark Morrison, teacher at Six to Six Magnet School in Bridgeport. “There are so many people I know who would make wonderful teachers, but simply don’t have the resources or the time to dedicate to a career change. Additional pathways to teaching would allow more people access to the profession without sacrificing quality, while also easing the burden on current teachers and enhancing the experience of students in the classroom.”

Teaching can be a viable career path, and one our students should strive to be a part of. Every district should incorporate strong “Grow Your Own” programs into their classrooms, allowing students the exposure to education they need, and inspiring a drive in future teachers. Connecticut needs to reexamine the requirements for becoming a teacher so we can make the profession more accessible and give our students the education they deserve. Demand policymakers eliminate barriers to the teaching profession and create multiple avenues to the teaching profession.