The To Be Honest in Issue 960 about teachers leaving the classroom because of the low pay generated a buzz. Here’s some more of it
I’m so appreciative of Leah Klein’s recent article about teachers leaving the field because of the low pay. As we all know, high-quality Jewish education is essential to the strength of our community. Yet we’re currently facing a serious pipeline problem in education. Very few strong candidates are entering the field to replace those who retire or leave.
Recent research by Prizmah and the Mayberg Foundation confirms this reality: Teacher recruitment and retention are significant challenges across much, if not all, of the Jewish community.
While various solutions have been proposed by Prizmah and others, change is slow and requires substantial resources. In the meantime, the situation is worsening. Many schools are still recruiting teachers well into the school year. I recently heard of a Modern Orthodox school that received a $1million donation dedicated solely to teacher recruitment and retention initiatives — because the problem is that urgent.
If we don’t act, our children will be left without qualified teachers — some already are. How will it impact their education and development if their teachers lack the skills, training, and discipline strategies needed to teach effectively? When schools, desperate to fill positions, are forced to put any “warm body” in the classroom, with fewer opportunities to be selective in hiring?
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