Poll: To address teacher shortage, pay them more
As the state grapples with teacher shortages in several subject areas, the most important strategy to address shortages of teachers is to pay them more, according to a new PACE/USC Rossier online poll of registered voters in California.
Respondents also pointed to hard-to-manage students and overcrowded classrooms as other reasons young people are reluctant to go into teaching.
But low pay easily lead the list.
Despite obstacles teachers face, 7 out of 10 of those responding to the poll said that they would encourage young people they know who are considering becoming teachers to follow that career path.
The poll also showed strong support for effective teachers.
Fifty–eight percent of respondents said that half or more of teachers are “highly effective and deserve to be recognized for their accomplishment.”
At the same time, 77 percent said that a half or more “are not as effective as they could be and should be supported to improve.”
The main reason respondents said they would encourage someone to go into teaching is because of the potential they have “to make a difference in the lives of children.” By comparison, other reasons such as professional autonomy and job security got relatively low rankings.
Regarding education reforms now underway in California, the poll showed that just over half of Californians had never heard or read anything about theLocal Control Funding Formula, the landmark reform of the school’s financing system championed by Gov. Jerry Brown and approved by the state Legislature three years ago. Thirty percent said they had not heard or read much about it. Only 3 percent said they had heard or read a good deal about it.
As for parents, just under half said they had never heard about the school funding reforms. That included 45 percent of parents who have children in California’s public schools.
About 1 in 5 parents with children in public schools knew about Local Control and Accountability Plans districts are now required to create to show how Poll: To address teacher shortage, pay them more | EdSource:
