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Solutions for America's teacher shortage

Kindergarten teacher Ana Zavala, at left, instructs students amid the COVID-19 pandemic at Washington Elementary School Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in Lynwood, Calif.  California is making it easier for school districts to hire teachers and other employees amid staffing shortages brought on by the latest surge in coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Kindergarten teacher Ana Zavala, at left, instructs students amid the COVID-19 pandemic at Washington Elementary School Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in Lynwood, Calif. California is making it easier for school districts to hire teachers and other employees amid staffing shortages brought on by the latest surge in coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The United States doesn’t have enough teachers.

“You’re at the point where the governor of the state has to say, you know what, we’re going to send the National Guardsmen in to help you cover classes,” Jeff Hartog says.

“Never, ever thought I would get to that point.”

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is now calling for states to spend more money, recruit more and establish better teacher training programs.

“Districts that have had robust residences do get this cadre of very well-prepared teachers,” Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education emeritus at Stanford University says. “The retention rates go up. Attrition goes down.”

But are those short-term solutions for a long-term problem?

Today, On Point: Facing and fixing America’s teacher shortage.

Guests

Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education emeritus at Stanford University. President of the Learning Policy Institute. President of the California State Board of Education. Co-author of Empowered Educators. (@LDH_ed)

Also Featured

Penny Schwinn, Tennessee’s education commissioner. (@SchwinnTeach)

Jeff Hartog, principal at Katherine Gallegos Elementary School in Los Lunas, New Mexico.

Breana Mitchell, 8th grade teacher in Atlanta, Georgia.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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