These are among key findings of a new into ways to address the continuing turnover and shortage of special education and ESL teachers that has existed for more than three decades. 

The analysis showed that mentorship, teacher and principal preparation standards, tests of reading instruction knowledge, pay and professional development are key to retaining and recruiting these educators.

Students with disabilities and English learners face some of the most persistent academic challenges, partly because of a lack of access to high-quality teachers, said NCTQ President Heather Peske.

鈥淒espite their potential, many of these students are not meeting even really basic thresholds in reading and math, and this is not for any fault of the students themselves,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s really because they don’t have access to the kinds of qualified and effective teachers that they need.鈥�

The report recommends improved state policies to address attrition in these areas:

Teacher mentorship

The analysis found that half of states don鈥檛 require prospective educators to complete their student teaching under the supervision of an educator who is certified in the same subject area they are training to work in. Most are in the western United States, including states like Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho and Nevada. 

Having a mentor certified in the same field allows the college students to see what teaching special ed will actually be like and increases their chances of staying in the subject area once they finish their degree, according to the report. The analysis highlighted a study of more than 250 people who completed special education teacher preparation in Massachusetts, which found that those with a supervisor licensed in special education were 12% less likely to leave the workforce.

Teacher preparation standards

Clear state standards for teacher preparation programs ensure that aspiring educators get the skills needed to serve students with disabilities, the report said. Ten states don鈥檛 have explicit special education standards for teacher colleges, while 16 lack defined English learner standards.

The analysis highlights Texas, which created for ESL and bilingual education in 2019. These include understanding the foundations of language acquisition and adapting instruction to meet student needs.

Principal preparation standards

Less than half of states require principal preparation programs to address special education in coursework, while only 13 do the same for English learners. Without an understanding of effective ways to serve students with disabilities or English learners, principals are less prepared to improve outcomes for them and retain the teachers who serve them, the report said. 

Research has that principals are a key factor in creating an inclusive environment for special education students. One said that many new school administrators 鈥渇ind themselves suddenly thrust into situations in which they must be the final arbiter on matters related to strange-sounding issues such as IEPs [individual education programs], 504 [disability discrimination] decisions, due-process hearings and IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] compliance.鈥�

In Iowa, teacher colleges are to provide evidence that candidates are equipped to address the needs of English learners or students with disabilities, the report said. 

Reading instruction

The analysis found that 17 states require special education teacher candidates to demonstrate their knowledge of literacy instruction using a test the NCTQ deems effective. In 2023, the nonprofit reported that 29 states and the District of Columbia use weak reading instruction tests that aspiring elementary educators must pass to obtain a license. NCTQ studied 25 tests that states use and identified 15 as weak 鈥� with only four considered acceptable and six considered strong.

Just five states 鈥� California, Idaho, New Mexico, Louisiana and Maryland 鈥� require English learner teacher candidates to pass acceptable tests, the report said.

鈥淲isconsin, for example, uses a strong or acceptable reading licensure test, but they don’t presently require special education teachers to take that test and pass it,鈥� Peske said. 鈥淲e would say that this is an example of low-hanging fruit when it comes to policymaking.鈥�

The NCTQ reported that 70% of fourth graders with disabilities and 67% who are English learners scored below the basic level in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

English learners are also at an increased risk of being identified for special education because of literacy-related struggles, the report said.

鈥淲ith so many states right now focused on reading and implementing relatively new reading laws, it was surprising to us to find that states are also not requiring their teachers, especially of students with disabilities, and their English learner teachers to take and pass an acceptable reading licensure test,鈥� Peske said.

Teacher pay

The report said that paying teachers in critical shortage areas more than those in general education can improve retention and recruitment in hard-to-staff areas. But has found that the additional compensation must be at least 7.5% of a teacher鈥檚 base salary 鈥� about $5,000 鈥� to make a difference.

Only 18 states offer higher salaries or bonuses for special education educators, while eight states do so for English learner teachers.

An annual state-funded $10,000 incentive in Hawaii improved special education teacher shortages. The bonuses, which , reduced by 35% the number of teaching positions that were vacant or filled by an unlicensed teacher.

鈥淚nterestingly, it did little to improve retention among current special educators,鈥� the report said. 鈥淚nstead, the reduction in vacancies was driven almost entirely by general-education teachers 鈥� who were presumably dual-certified 鈥� transitioning into special education roles.鈥�

The nonprofit said the policy was also successful because of its simplicity. All Hawaii special education teachers were automatically eligible, and there was no application process. 

Professional development

High-quality professional learning can improve retention for special education and English learner teachers, the report said. Currently, 40 states provide professional development for both fields. Oregon, Hawaii, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia are the only states that don鈥檛 offer professional learning for either position.

The report highlights Rhode Island, which recently adopted guidelines that require professional learning specifically for teachers of multilingual learners.

Peske said each of the above policy areas is equally important for lawmakers to consider. 鈥淚f a state really wants to build a strong teacher workforce for students with disabilities and English learners, we would advise them to use these fixed [policy] levers together,鈥� she said.

But now the department she wants to lead has abruptly canceled more than $600 million in grants designed to prepare teachers, especially in high-need schools.

The cancellations include a $3.38 million grant to in Fairfield, Connecticut, where McMahon serves on the Board of Trustees. The funds supported a program focused on recruiting special education teachers and strengthening instruction in STEM subjects. 

The university was among 20 recent recipients of a Teacher Quality Partnership grant, a program that aimed to attract and prepare a more diverse educator workforce. In response to Biden administration priorities, several of the grantees targeted the funds 鈥� $70 million in 2024 鈥� toward recruiting and training future educators from underrepresented communities. But now those goals put organizations at odds with the Trump administration鈥檚 crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

鈥淲ithout warning all funds were swept, thus all employees on the grant were terminated without cause or warning,鈥� Erin Ramirez, an associate professor at California State University Monterey Bay, said in an email.

Ramirez said her university鈥檚 $5.7 million grant was 鈥渋llegally terminated.鈥� The funds were supporting an alternative teacher preparation program that aimed to draw 1,350 residents of the central California region into teaching in their local school districts. The revocation of funds, including $3.76 million in scholarships, will result in larger class sizes, higher teacher turnover and 鈥渆xacerbates existing workforce shortages and economic instability,鈥� according to a summary Ramirez provided. 

In letters sent to grantees last week, Mark Washington, the department鈥檚 deputy assistant secretary for management and planning, said the cancelled grants were 鈥渋nconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, department priorities鈥� and could 鈥渦nlawfully discriminate鈥� based on race or other characteristics. 

In a , the department cited some of the activities it found objectionable, such as workshops on 鈥渂uilding cultural competence鈥� and an emphasis on social justice activism. Grantees have until March 12 to challenge the department鈥檚 decision.

Also among the cancellations were Supporting Effective Educator Development grants, which sought to train more highly effective educators. TNTP, a nonprofit that aimed to prepare almost 750 teachers to work in the Austin, Baltimore and the Clark County school districts, and , which worked to address a teacher shortage in New Orleans schools, were among those affected.  

鈥淣ot only does it feel like chaos, it just feels disheartening,鈥� said Libby Bain, executive director of talent at New Schools for New Orleans, one of the organizations working on the grant. The funds supported nearly 300 high school students in nine schools who were earning credit toward an education major in college. Schools might have to cancel summer school, she added, because the grant also paid for the aspiring teachers to work as tutors to gain extra experience.

鈥淭hey’re going into a field that already feels hard to go into,鈥� Bain said. 鈥淣ow this thing that they were so excited about at 17 or 18 is being taken away.鈥�

Three-year grants were last and would have ended in September. The department is arguing that under , it has a right to terminate grants early if they are no longer in line with the administration鈥檚 goals. But some grantees say they plan to appeal, and Julia Martin, director of policy and government affairs at the Bruman Group, a Washington law firm, added, 鈥淲e鈥檒l likely see some litigation.鈥�

鈥楾he next generation of teachers鈥�

Both grant programs help lower the cost of becoming a teacher through scholarships and stipends that help defray housing expenses, especially for teacher education students completing their training in higher-priced urban areas. The universities and nonprofits often focus on recruiting teachers for math, special education and other hard-to-fill subject areas. The grants also pay for research staff who evaluate which aspects of preparation programs, like having a mentor, are more likely to keep novice teachers in the field.

鈥淚 have a lot of concerns over what’s going to happen to aspiring teachers in areas where we already had local teaching shortages,鈥� said Kathlene Campbell, CEO of the National Center for Teacher Residencies, which had a $6.3 million grant that was cancelled. 

The center was working with 13 organizations, including several historically Black colleges and universities, in four states. Some students might not complete their program if they can鈥檛 cover tuition and fees on their own, Campbell said. She was still collecting data on how many staff members have lost their jobs because of the cuts. 

鈥淚f we lose the people who are preparing the next generation of teachers, as well as a significant portion of aspiring teachers, we could see a really big problem in a couple of years,鈥� she said.

Such programs seek to respond to multiple challenges in K-12 classrooms. Over 400,000 teaching positions last year were either unfilled or were staffed by someone without the proper credentials, according to the .  

The nation鈥檚 public schools also continue to grow more racially diverse. By 2030, Hispanic students are projected to make up a third of enrollment. Between 2012 and 2022, the percentage of white and Black students in the nation鈥檚 classrooms fell, while there was an increase in Asian students and those of two or more races. A diverse teacher workforce has been shown to have positive effects on students, including higher math and reading , regardless of students鈥� race. Black students matched with Black teachers are also more likely to and less likely to be identified for .

The education department鈥檚 move to pull funding for the programs came ahead of its Friday 鈥溾�� letter putting districts on notice that any efforts that could be perceived as encouraging DEI would not be tolerated. 

In the letter, Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, discouraged schools 鈥渇rom using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.鈥� And he encouraged those who think any programs or activities violate laws against discrimination to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.

Campbell, with the teacher residency organization, said there鈥檚 a misunderstanding over how the programs view diversity.

鈥淚ndividuals who come from a different socioeconomic status are now able to become teachers when they didn’t think they could afford to do so,鈥� she said.

And Stephanie Cross, an assistant professor who was preparing teachers to work in Atlanta Public Schools, said her program didn鈥檛 discriminate against anyone who wanted to be in the program based on race.

The department鈥檚 DEI purge 鈥� in keeping with President Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration day 鈥� explains why officials turned against the grant programs, but some observers also question whether they offered taxpayers a good return on their investment. Chad Aldeman, who conducts research on teacher workforce issues, said the Teacher Quality Partnership and the Supporting Effective Educator Development programs 鈥渁ren鈥檛 exactly screaming cost-effectiveness.鈥� One Teacher Quality Partnership grant for aimed to prepare 60 teachers and administrators in South Carolina. 

鈥淲ith this kind of money, the more effective route would probably be paying people directly,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y preference would be paying in-service teachers who demonstrate strong results and are serving in hard-to-staff roles, rather than focusing on the supply side.鈥�

But Bain, in New Orleans, said higher pay alone might get people into teaching, but won鈥檛 necessarily keep them there.

The cancellation of the grants also seems to contradict other signals from the new administration and Trump鈥檚 supporters in Congress. Trump nominated former Tennessee education chief Penny Schwinn, who has championed 鈥済row-your-own鈥� teacher preparation initiatives, to serve as deputy education secretary.

Tennessee was the first state to implement a teacher apprenticeship program registered with the Department of Labor. Forty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have . At the time, the effort would 鈥渞emove barriers to becoming an educator for people from all backgrounds.鈥�

And during McMahon鈥檚 hearing last week, Sen Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, focused on getting more teachers in the classroom. 

鈥淲e need teachers,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need people in the classroom teaching these kids. Hold them accountable and put more money in the teachers and less money in administrators. I think we鈥檇 be a heck of a lot better off.鈥�

Disclosure: Chad Aldeman, who writes about school finance and teacher compensation, is a regular contributor to 蜜桃影视.

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

On a gray February morning, the Pine Bluff High School gymnasium was filled with colorful balloons and flooded with music and laughter as family and friends, students and staff gathered to celebrate four college-bound star football players signing their national letters of intent. 

Less than six miles away, a mother was mourning the loss of another beloved player, her 16-year-old son, Kendall Burton, who was gunned down just weeks earlier. 

Addressing a standing-room-only crowd, the four elated student-athletes all thanked the same person 鈥� and the heartbroken mother in her quiet apartment did, too: Coach Micheal Williams.

The two events painfully juxtaposed what Williams has worked hardest to achieve since returning to his hometown 鈥� creating a pathway to college for his players 鈥� and what he has fought so strenuously to keep at bay. between the ages of 10 and 19 in this town of roughly 40,000 were the victims of homicide between 2020 and 2022, according to the most recent data.

鈥淜endall Burton was a great kid,鈥� said Williams, who鈥檚 built close relationships with all of his players, but especially this affable teen. 鈥淚 would let him date my daughter, you know, that type of kid. I always tell everybody he was the coach鈥檚 son.鈥�

Shaketa Simmons, Burton鈥檚 mother, said Kendall felt the same way: 鈥淗e loved Coach Williams. He would always say, 鈥楥oach Williams got our back. He would do anything for us.鈥欌��

Williams, who understands the grinding poverty that can lead some students astray, has always encouraged his players not to squander the opportunity they鈥檝e earned through sports. But he had struggled in recent weeks to relate that message: Burton was a clean-cut kid who stayed out of trouble and still, his future was taken from him.

Burton鈥檚 death devastated the coach and now he found himself summoning the young man, who he picked up every morning before practice, to help keep his teammates on track amid their sorrow.

鈥淚 tell them, 鈥榊ou have to carry on, fight hard to be that person you are because your friend is looking at you,鈥欌�� Williams said. 鈥溾�楬e鈥檚 clapping from heaven.鈥欌�� 

Boys to men 

A former Pine Bluff football player himself, Willliams, now 40, helped lead some of the most storied teams in the country, including the one belonging to Duncanville High School just outside Dallas: They won in the last two years and were in the nation. 

But no matter where he worked, he kept an eye on his football roots. He knew Pine Bluff players had talent, but somehow that wasn鈥檛 translating into college offers. Williams eventually discovered why: Some didn鈥檛 have the grades and none got the exposure they deserved.

Upon taking the coaching job in 2022, Williams immediately installed an academic-focused program: Players would practice in the morning and sit for study hall and tutoring in the afternoon. They would also participate in a character-building program 鈥� another of the coach鈥檚 initiatives 鈥� where they might learn to tie a tie or talk to a judge to better understand the criminal justice system.

鈥淔rom Day One, I knew I needed to do something to try to change their grades,鈥� Williams said. 

For the sophomores, juniors and seniors, he built each player鈥檚 social media profile on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and alerted the recruiters he鈥檚 worked with through the years.

鈥淥nce I started sending those things out, it started drawing attention to a lot of the great athletes we have,鈥� he said. 

Among them: Jonathan Goins Jr., 17, and Landon Holcomb, 18, who both committed to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at the Feb. 7 signing. Chandler Laurent, 18, and who has earned a 4.1 GPA, will play for Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. Makyrin Goodwin, also 18, is headed to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. All received full or partial athletic or academic scholarships. 

Goodwin, who plays both right and left tackle 鈥� really anything on the offensive line,  is looking forward to the next chapter of his life and thanked his coach for the progress he鈥檚 made until now. 

鈥淗e is the best coach I ever had,鈥� Goodwin said of Williams. 鈥淗e makes sure we do good in school and everything. He鈥檒l just call and check on you sometimes.鈥� 

Williams himself was an excellent running back 鈥� potential NFL material 鈥� but didn鈥檛 end up making it that far, in part, he said, because his high school coaches, whom he adored, weren鈥檛 focused on recruiting. So, he said, he did not have a shot at a big-time college. Instead, he attended Paul Quinn College in Dallas on a partial football scholarship. 

And that鈥檚 why, when he became a coach himself, he prioritized recruiting, getting his players on the right schools鈥� radar and making sure they had the grades to be NCAA eligible, which for Division I schools means a GPA of 2.3 or higher in their core classes and 2.2 or better for Division II.

Coach Williams is a godsend and he has a heart for children. Not just sports. I said children. And under his tutelage, they become men.

Principal, Ronnieus Thompson

Principal Ronnieus Thompson appreciates Williams鈥檚 hard-earned connections and partnerships with colleges and universities. Four of his senior players have been given scholarship offers at DI colleges this school year, including Goins and Holcomb.

 Two others penned national letters of intent in December 鈥� both to the highly regarded University of Missouri, part of the powerhouse Southeastern Conference and this year. Headed to Mizzou are Courtney Crutchfield, a four-star athlete who was the No. 1 high school football player in the state and number 11th in the nation under Williams鈥檚 leadership, and three-star athlete, Austyn Dendy, 17, who is ranked fourth in Arkansas. 

Bringing the total headed to college to eight, cornerback Perrea Little signed with DIII Centenary College of Louisiana just this week and wide receiver Marquez Brentley Jr. accepted an academic scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

鈥淐oach Williams is a godsend and he has a heart for children,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淣ot just sports. I said children. And under his tutelage, they become men.鈥�

鈥楾he person I am today鈥�

The coach describes himself as strict. He doesn鈥檛 mind adding some bass to his voice to deliver a point on the field and players who arrive late to 6 a.m. practice will find themselves pushing a 45-pound plate 100 yards before moving on to exhaustive drills.

In his softer moments, he talks to them about family trouble, girl problems and how they sometimes can鈥檛 wash their clothes at home because the power has been cut off. In that case, Williams invites them to use the school鈥檚 washer and dryer. 

鈥淚鈥檝e been poor,鈥� he tells them. 鈥淚 know how it feels to wake up and there鈥檚 roaches in your food or maggots in your rice: You haven鈥檛 been through anything that I haven’t been through. But success comes from being a powerful young man and being able to fight through adversity.鈥�

Sometimes, when Williams was a young boy, his own family would lose electricity and the three kids and their parents would all sleep together in the same room to keep warm. And it wasn鈥檛 uncommon for him to look out the window, he said, to see his parents picking up cans on the side of the road to afford a 49-cent pack of hot dogs.

鈥淚f we were going to play baseball, my mom would go out and search every thrift store to try to find us a glove,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t may have been old but, you know, we made the best out of it. It helped make me into the person I am today.鈥�

Emmanuel Hudson, 16, and a defensive tackle, said the coach always comes through for him. He鈥檚 given the teen food when he鈥檚 hungry and, most recently, a dress shirt for a formal school event: Many come from a small collection Williams keeps in his office in case such a need arises. 

鈥淗e鈥檚 just been so good in my life,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淟ike a stepfather, for real.鈥�

It鈥檚 the type of support that鈥檚 helped him through the loss of his friend, Kendall Burton, who was shot dead Jan. 12 at an intersection close to his grandmother鈥檚 house. 

The investigation into Burton’s death remains open and Pine Bluff police did not respond to a request last week for an update. Earlier, department spokesman David DeFoor told 蜜桃影视 police had a suspect in mind but not enough evidence to make an arrest. The department was asking for the public鈥檚 help, offering up to a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction.

Simmons credits the entire team for being such a positive part of her son鈥檚 life, which was marked by a grave struggle long before he was gunned down: A growth on Burton鈥檚 neck when he was 8 was diagnosed as Hodgkin鈥檚 lymphoma. 

鈥淭hose are his brothers,鈥� Simmons said of his fellow players.

Sitting in her son鈥檚 bedroom, which she鈥檚 turned into a memorial, his pictures and jerseys hung up on the walls, Simmons said it鈥檚 the family鈥檚 deep sense of faith that she leans on now that her son is gone. As a child battling cancer, Burton would tell his mother not to worry, that, 鈥淕od got me.鈥�

鈥淲hen I think about my boy 鈥� I just want to cry, I just want to let loose,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut most of the time I can鈥檛 because the spirit comes to me and says, 鈥楴o, I got Kendall.鈥� When I hear that, I鈥檓 like, 鈥極K, OK, I hear you.鈥欌��

The new model students 

Williams鈥檚 father, Micheal Sr., a minister of music, drove a school bus for Pine Bluff for 20 years and had numerous jobs after that. He eventually became a preacher who also sang and played piano at a local church and nearby prison. At one point, he owned a used car lot in Pine Bluff, but his generosity undermined his efforts: A customer with a particularly heart-wrenching story might walk away with a free vehicle, his son said.

His father never saw Williams play when he was younger because he was always working. Now, he never misses a game: He broadcasts them on Facebook. Williams鈥檚 mother, Pamela, who became a nurse, remains her son鈥檚 biggest fan. Hers is often the loudest voice cheering from the stands. And her son鈥檚 spare supply of dress shirts and the like often comes from her, the result of Pamela Williams regularly bargain hunting for those in need. 

鈥淪he taught me the gift of giving,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hey both did.鈥�

It was that sense of wanting to give back and improve the lives and prospects of young people that drew him home. It鈥檚 a notion shared by many: Williams arrived in a city already working hard to bring about positive change. It opened an enviable in 2019 and has plans to long-neglected parts of the community, including historic buildings. But perhaps the most life-changing moment for Pine Bluff students will come when the district breaks ground on a new, state-of-the-art high school, replacing a decades-old facility with roofing so decrepit that it rains inside classrooms and hallways. 

鈥淭he right work is being done,鈥� said Thompson, the principal. 鈥淗ave we made it all the way there? Of course not. But we are taking those steps in the right direction.鈥�

Thompson credits the coach for being a critical part of this effort, adding that his reach extends well beyond the field: When students struggle in other areas of their life, he鈥檒l call upon their teachers and counselors for help. 

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have trouble with the athletes anymore,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淭hey used to be some of the biggest knuckleheads. Now, they鈥檙e model students and that鈥檚 the way it should be. I鈥檓 glad that he鈥檚 here.鈥�

Micah Holmstrom, a 10th- and 12th-grade English teacher, said Williams鈥檚 mandatory study hall has allowed him to chase down students who were missing assignments or who needed extra help.

鈥淚 knew exactly where they were,鈥� Holmstrom said, adding Williams鈥檚 emphasis on academics made his work even easier. 鈥淭hose guys are so comfortable with him and it鈥檚 in a place that鈥檚 a familiar environment: They鈥檙e more willing to sit and hack through some of the difficult stuff than in class.鈥�

Frank Lyles, a math teacher, uses the time to teach kids about complex topics they didn鈥檛  understand in class, including parabolas, a U-shape curve whose contours students can find in their own game: Every ball they throw follows a similar arc, illustrating his lesson. 

Parents, too, credit Williams for helping their children stay focused. Nicole Dendy, whose son, Austyn, will pursue veterinary studies at Mizzou, said football is her son鈥檚 drive. 

鈥淔ootball motivates him,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, whatever it takes to get him on the field, that鈥檚 what he鈥檚 going to do.鈥�

Hudson, the defensive tackle, helped prepare the gymnasium for the college signing day in Februrary. He was overjoyed to see older players recognized for their athletic and academic success.

鈥淐oach Will and the other coaching staff have been hard on us to put the work in,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e said, from Day One, whatever we want, we鈥檝e got to earn. So, I feel like we earned it and that鈥檚 why we got it.鈥�

]]> /article/to-prevent-principal-exodus-new-partnerships-offer-20k-stipends-therapy/ Thu, 28 Jul 2022 11:15:00 +0000 /?post_type=article&p=692494 Free therapy and professional coaching. $20,000 stipends. 

These are some of the incentives and supports aimed at preventing an exodus of principals and school administrators taking on pandemic stressors and the nation鈥檚 divisive climate. 

Focused on problem solving, self-care and leadership skills, a handful of nonprofits run by experienced educators have launched support and training programs to aid principals, particularly leaders of color who are underrepresented in the field and experiencing more than their peers. 

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Organizations are also recognizing a window of opportunity: recruiting and retaining principals of color to better match and support an increasingly diverse student population. Roughly of U.S. public school students are Indigenous, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian or multiracial, while about . 

鈥溾�楬ow could this be done differently? How can we support you?鈥� We’re not hearing that conversation. It is 鈥榶es you did this, now do this on top of what you’re doing.鈥� And I think that is driving a lot of people out because you don’t feel like you can be human,鈥� said TaraShaun Cain, executive director of the Black Principals Network. 

The group is one of several support networks that launched during the pandemic, as many leaders 鈥� faced with hostility from parents, death within their family, health concerns and working alongside mental health challenges 鈥� have said they may .

One new training is taking aim at the underlying cause of stress educators witness in tapped-out peers: The current role of principal has become unsustainable. And if reimagining school structures isn鈥檛 a part of training for the next generation of principals, school systems will likely continue to fail and overtax leaders.

Recognizing the emotional toll of leading schools in the current climate, the partnered with BetterHelp, an online mental health service platform, to provide leaders free phone, text or video counseling.听

Several are extending support beyond seated principals. Recruiting the next generation of school leaders is becoming more urgent, as one New York teacher leader noticed. 

鈥淭here’s a lot more hesitancy,鈥� said Margarita Lopez, a teacher and instructional coach for other educators at Urban Assembly Maker, a career and technical school in New York City. 

Lopez, who does not know anyone else currently interested in leadership, is pursuing the shift to leadership out of frustration, eager to change current systems that have left teachers unsupported, without meaningful feedback or professional development. 

鈥淚 saw it as a call to action for myself鈥’ve seen a lot of people that I’ve taught with leave education altogether,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淚’m seeing more of that, than people wanting to stay in education and become a school leader.鈥�

To make the role more attractive, at least one program is baking in opportunities to reshape school design while bearing the cost of training to make the career accessible and enticing to a more diverse pool of applicants.

Launched by Springpoint, a nonprofit dedicated to reimagining high school, and Boston-based philanthropy The Barr Foundation, the Transformative Leaders Massachusetts program is recruiting to better reflect the state鈥檚 diverse student population. 

For example, they may look to recruit multilingual leaders to support the state鈥檚 immigrant families, particularly from Brazil, Cape Verde the Azores and mainland Portugal. Massachusetts has the in the country.

The tuition-free leadership program will include coaching on how to encourage staff and student identity development, competency-based learning, and managing teams 鈥� thinking through the system and volume of direct reports that principals manage daily, for example.

About 10 teachers will begin the pilot two-year development program this summer 鈥� each participant will earn $20,000 stipends on top of their existing school salaries.

鈥淭here has been an addition of work without compensation. And for us, this is really a statement of valuing their time鈥� this should not be something that educators go into debt for. This should be something that is a pathway that feels clear and open,鈥� said Lauren Bassi, director of leadership and school design at Springpoint and former English teacher.

Breaking down the financial barrier for leaders to enter the profession while creating support has also been a priority for the , child of the popular leadership training program New Leaders, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College. 

New principal fellows can complete a certificate-only program for $10,000, or earn a Master鈥檚 simultaneously for $20,000, and receive support to apply for grant funding. Fellows can pursue licensed positions in 37 states and Washington, D.C., thanks to recent state approvals, and will ultimately join a New Leaders alumni network of over 8,000. 

鈥淲hen we talk about fundamentally changing what is happening in education in our country, this is what we mean: transforming the system so that every school is led by an equity-focused principal with the highest expectations for every child,鈥� J. Fidel Turner, Dean of the Clark Atlanta School of Education, said in a press release.

New Leaders鈥檚 latest fellowship will focus on building the pipeline of principals of color to better reflect and serve student populations. Principals of color create better academic outcomes for students of color 鈥� who make up the nationally 鈥� and are more effective than their peers at recruiting and retaining teachers of color, according to .

The next few years could present an opportunity to better diversify the field and encourage better outcomes for students of color, , said New Leaders CEO Jean Desravines.

鈥淲e are not saying that we should transition out existing white principals. What we’re saying is there’s a recognition that there will be significant turnover in the field, a mass exodus because of mental health issues, because of COVID, because of the political environment,鈥� Desravines told 蜜桃影视. 鈥淚t will be a missed opportunity if we are not being intentional and strategic about how we build the pipeline in a way that ensures there’s far greater representation than there’s been in the past.鈥� 

Desravines added that principals, particularly those without supportive district leadership, have been feeling 鈥渋ncredibly lonely.鈥� There are about 11 and 9% of Black and Latino principals nationally, respectively. Some may be the only leader of color in their district or county 鈥� experiencing a mix of racist hostility or taking on more emotional labor to support marginalized students than their peers. 

Black Principal Network鈥檚 Executive Director Cain, for instance, built her career in her hometown of Chicago alongside many Black educators and leaders. But she knows that some, in places like Madison, Wisconsin, are the only ones in their district or county fiercely advocating for the 鈥渂abies that look like me.鈥� 

It鈥檚 become necessary to share strategies across state lines, so that leaders who would previously have never crossed paths, can share lessons learned like how to advance an equity initiative or deal with a combative school board. 

鈥淭here’s [professional] development needed, but what I learned is there are some internal obstacles that our guys face, too,鈥� said Keith Brooks, founder of the National Fellowship for Black and Latino Male Educators, the group offering free access to BetterHelp therapy. 鈥淚mposter syndrome 鈥� just understanding their worth or value, or internalized racism, and being able to show up as their authentic self鈥� that was one of the biggest things that was getting in our guys鈥� ways.鈥� 

The Black Principal鈥檚 Network recognized a similar need near the beginning of the pandemic and widespread protests against racism and police violence. What began as a Facebook group has morphed into an online community of over 350; principals participate in self-care, sustainability, and self-discovery programming. 

While the Fellowship and Network specifically advocate for principals of color, the strategies and support offer a roadmap for the broader population of leaders. 

鈥淪ometimes you feel like being vulnerable or taking time means that you are abandoning, or it is a sign of weakness鈥e have to change that narrative,鈥� Cain said. 鈥淲e have to create a space where our leaders can actually get refilled and be recharged beyond what we have right now.鈥�

]]> /four-day-work-weeks-fat-signing-bonuses-and-paid-moving-expenses-see-how-districts-across-the-u-s-are-desperately-seeking-subs-special-ed-teachers/ Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:15:00 +0000 /?p=577933 Confronting classrooms without permanent teachers, school administrators across the country are turning to an assortment of incentives 鈥� many of them financial, some unprecedented 鈥� to fill widespread vacancies.

Some districts are offering thousands in signing bonuses, others adapt to four-day work weeks and many are easing the way for college students or other would-be teaching candidates to get quickly certified.

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In 2018, the National Bureau of Labor Statistics would leave the profession annually through 2026 鈥� a number that did not take into account the pandemic鈥檚 effects on teacher retention and retirement. A 2020 revealed that almost a third nationwide would likely retire early or leave the profession because of the pandemic. Yet the bureau鈥檚 recent job data shows that actual teacher turnover levels are similar 鈥� and in some cases lower 鈥斕齮han pre-pandemic levels. The estimated outcomes from alarming polls, suggesting that teachers everywhere would imminently leave the profession, have not necessarily come to fruition.

Retirement and attrition do vary greatly by county or state 鈥� saw about 200 more teachers leave by the end August 2020 than in 2019 or 2018, while Minnesota experienced the opposite effect 鈥� and there鈥檚 still much to be understood about the full scope of how the pandemic has affected the teaching force. At the same time, we do know that fewer adults are heading into .

The lengths that some school and state leaders are going to to fill current vacancies, especially for special education and substitute teachers, does demonstrate that districts are seeing urgent staffing needs and are getting creative to meet them.

Accelerated licensure programs and alternatives for state teaching exams are popping up across the country to urgently meet students鈥� needs. Houston, for instance, had over 400 teacher openings as of mid-August; some may be filled by .

Though places like metro aren鈥檛 experiencing the same levels of staff scarcity, they are still offering a $5,000 sign-on incentive for special education teachers. Greater Atlanta鈥檚 DeKalb County Schools are also recruiting for full-time positions.

Out West, a aims to transform the educator pipeline by recruiting high school students into teacher programs, former military personnel and adjunct professors. Nevada鈥檚 Carson City Schools will public employees to fill special education vacancies, and others in California are adopting the strategy of recruiting teachers where they鈥檝e grown up, incentivizing staying in-state for higher education or pursuing teaching residencies in their home districts.

One framed staffing challenges as a human capital problem, not a financial one. To aid schools鈥� pandemic recovery, millions in unprecedented federal relief funds are on their way to states. Only a handful included teacher recruitment or retention strategies in their budget proposals; nationwide, priorities for the relief funds are expanding academic tutoring and mental health care.

And critical shortages go beyond the classroom 鈥� are , after many have retired or decided to not risk COVID-19 exposure. Up to 250 National Guard service members will drive students to school in Massachusetts, and school leaders in are encouraging their governor to consider the same. Efforts to engage the National Guard in New York were rejected by Gov. Kathy Hochul; a spokesperson for her team said school transportation was

In , where drivers are leaving en masse after the district mandated staff vaccines, some families of students with disabilities were given two days to find alternative transportation for the first day of school.

Students and families across the country are feeling the impacts of missing critical staff as the 2021-22 school year and quarantines get underway.

We鈥檝e compiled some of the special education and substitute teacher recruitment efforts currently in effect:

Special Education Teacher Recruitment

reported teacher shortages in special education in the 2020-21 school year.

鈥淲e beg, borrow and steal wherever we can to find some good quality special education teachers for our district,鈥� Jose Delfin. The schools chief spoke during a school board meeting where the district designated the labor shortage as critical, enabling the hiring of retired public employees.

And while advocates have sounded the alarm on a declining special education force for , states like have just established recruitment and retention task forces.

Click here if you cannot access the interactive version of this map.

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Substitute Teacher Recruitment

Schools across the country employ between 500,000 and 600,000 subs annually, according to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics. School administrators in say substitute applications have trickled to a stop. For smaller districts in California with teachers heading into COVID-19 quarantines, declining substitute teacher pools could force school .

In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little to fill shortages, 鈥淚 urge Idahoans in a position to serve as a substitute teacher or other classroom support staff to contact your school district and get signed up. Idaho students and our communities need you.鈥�

Click here if you cannot access the interactive version of this map.

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