Quality teacher recruitment could be hurt by school cuts, N.J. education leaders warn
By Bob Braun/Star-Ledger Columnist
April 19, 2010, 5:20AM
Jaymar Bugg, a Montclair High School physical science teacher; and tutor for eight years; works with Jackqueline Barnes of Montclair, a sophmore; Shayaun Pakizeg, a junior; and Solomon Walker, a junior; in advanced chemistry during a Sunday afternoon tutoring program for Montclair High School students held at the Montclair Library.Teacher education leaders in New Jersey warn the contentious school budget crisis could jeopardize future efforts to recruit instructors.John Webb, who directs Princeton University’s prestigious Program in Teacher Preparation, said the state faces "the very real danger" the market for new teachers could "collapse" in the face of teacher layoffs caused by budget cuts. Districts letting teachers go won’t hire new teachers, he said.
The dean of the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education says he concurs with Webb’s assessment and adds that changes in attitudes toward teachers both in New Jersey and nationally could transform the nature of pubic school employment.
"The ground is shifting underneath teachers and those who want to become teachers,’’ says Richard De Lisi.
Previous coverage:
Joseph DePierro, dean of Seton Hall’s College of Education and Human Services, said newly trained teachers face a "major catastrophe" finding jobs this year. It’s as bad, he says, as the 1970s when many teachers were laid off because of declining enrollments."It’s a very uncertain time for new teachers,’’ he says.
William Behre, education dean at the College of New Jersey, said he is advising current teacher-education students to go to graduate school before looking for jobs.
"Normally, I would tell them to get a few years of experience before getting graduate degrees, but