You may have heard that some schools are having difficulty filling open positions and some states are looking at changing the qualifications necessary to become a teacher. This article from CBS News does a nice job of describing the situation.
Since 1970 the percentage of college students enrolled to become teachers declined from 17% to 4%. Those seeking business degrees have been the major benefactor of this decline. Part of the decline may signal an improvement in career options for women, but the relatively low pay in comparison to those with comparable degrees and the perception that society has lesser respect for educators are also recognized as causes. Public school teachers earn about 24% less than peers. This pay gap has widened since 1980. Public perception of the profession is difficult to assess, but only 22% of those responding to a University of Chicago poll said they would encourage young people to become educators.
You must be logged in to post a comment.