PHILADELPHIA - The so-called ‘great resignation’ has left a lot of industries without proper staffing and the field of education has not been immune to shortages.
While the pandemic has played a role, some believe the writing was on the blackboard before COVID-19. The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) says they have seen a decline in available teachers over the last decade.
PSEA spokesperson Chris Lilienthal claims less college-educated people are pursuing a career in education and older teacher have retired sooner. "We are having a number of older teachers who may have stuck around a couple more years deciding that they’re going to retire sooner than later because of the pandemic because of the stress that goes with the job right now," Lilienthal said.
A source with the School District of Philadelphia told FOX 29 that mid-year teacher resignations are up 200 percent. So what's the fix to stop teachers from leaving while also attracting young professionals to the field of education?