Rich Weinfeld’s Post

BREAKING: New report shows 6/10 of principals have recommended a student w/ spec ed needs stay home! EVERY student in #OntEd deserves access to high-quality, in-person learning. In their responses to the survey, many principals commented that daily staff shortages mean that special education teachers must often step in to replace classroom teachers and educational assistants. Nearly half of elementary (42%) and secondary (46%) schools report experiencing shortages of educational assistants every day. Elementary schools in neighbourhoods with low median family incomes have, on average, a higher proportion of students receiving special education support. In these schools, an average of 20% of students are receiving special education support, compared to 14% of students in high income schools. On the other hand, schools in lower-income neighbourhoods were more likely to provide tutoring programs and de-streaming resources for parents/guardians. Low-income elementary schools are much less likely to report they have access to psychologists, either regularly scheduled or on-call. This may be partly due to the differences in school size: on average, low-income elementary schools have 302 students each compared to 454 in high-income elementary schools. At the same time, low-income schools have more than double the proportion of students waiting for assessments. RECOMMENDATION Principals have consistently pointed to challenges in providing effective special education supports for their students. For this reason, People for Education continues to recommend that the province convene an Education Task Force–including representatives from teacher, principal, and education support staff associations, school board administrators, faculties of education, special education organizations, provincial policymakers, and students–to provide input on government policy before it is implemented, and to help design new policy and funding models to address a range of issues including staff shortages, and effective and equitable design for special education supports and programs. https://lnkd.in/g2k8vn6C

The teacher shortage in our nation is reaching critical levels, a problem that has only gotten worse since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Pacific Oaks College is taking proactive steps to address this pressing issue. With a strong emphasis on early childhood education and teacher preparation, they are empowering students to become the educators our communities need. In a recent move, Pacific Oaks partnered with the Sacramento County Office of Education to launch a tuition-free residency program that will train up to 150 new public and charter schoolteachers over the next three years. This innovative initiative is not only filling critical gaps in education but also providing much-needed support for aspiring educators. https://lnkd.in/g-vTU_rn

Teachers are Missing More School, and There are Too Few Substitutes 👇🏽 Short staffed schools create a cycle of burnout that makes retention especially difficult. Maintaining an adequate sub pool, and high fill rates supports the permanent teachers and can help combat burnout. HelloSubs is changing the game for substitute teaching. Increasing fill rates without increasing district budgets. https://lnkd.in/g5UFSvTY

As teaching has become more political, fewer want to be teachers. Those teaching are calling in sick more than ever, with fewer substitute teachers willing to work to fill the gap in classrooms with ever-less structure and discipline. The slow unraveling of institutions (by design) continues. Over the 2022-23 school year in New York City, nearly one in five public schoolteachers was absent 11 days or more, an increase from the previous year and from before the pandemic. In Michigan, roughly 15 percent of teachers were absent in any given week last school year, compared with about 10 percent in 2019, researchers found. More recently, teacher absences forced a school in Ohio to close for a day, and left high school students in Massachusetts to gather in the cafeteria during class time with little supervision.

Across the country, we are facing significant challenges with declining numbers of current and future teachers and school staff in our workforce pipeline. This article points to some valuable federal policy ideas that would help, and also has a link to an interactive map where you can look across a number of key factors affecting teacher recruitment and retention state by state. Perhaps Sen. Bernie Sanders said it best: “For decades, public school teachers have been overworked, underpaid, understaffed, and maybe most importantly, under appreciated.” It's no wonder we are in this crisis. #teachers #educatorworkforce #workforcedevelopment #ECE #K12 #highered #policy

"Contrary to popular belief, the influence of parents far outweighs that of schools in a child's formative years [...] We need more public discussion and policy attention towards supporting parents. We need ways of supporting parents that are inexpensive and scalable. And we need to stop thinking that the Department of Education means the Department of School, although I strongly believe we need to have sufficient teachers and high-quality public schooling for everybody. We should have a Department of Education and Learning, and have a more expansive view of what a state or federal Department of Education does. In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, prioritizing support for parents alongside traditional schooling is not just an option but a necessity for ensuring every child reaches their full potential." - Dr. Ariel Kalil https://lnkd.in/eng4fZX4 #STEM #children #parenting #education

In this recent article from @WTHR, teacher expert Mrs. Jennifer Brinker details three main reasons for the teacher shortage: low pay, lack of respect, and working conditions. And this shortage has already begun affecting education in the classrooms. #teachershortage #elevateschools #supporteducators #indiana https://lnkd.in/gSyEwRzk

https://lnkd.in/gWzusSuQ *Texas Teachers Speak Out: 4 Key Demands for Lawmakers* A recent survey reveals 75% of Texas teachers considered leaving their job due to: - Poor pay - Excessive workloads - Staff shortages To address these concerns, Texas teachers are calling on lawmakers for: 1. Higher Pay: Competitive salaries reflecting their value. 2. Better Classroom Resources: Funding for pandemic-related learning gaps and security. 3. Smaller Class Sizes: Reduced workload and stress. 4. Improved Mental Health Support: Assistance for students' well-being. Texas has seen a huge spike in teacher vacancies, emphasizing the need for action. Let's prioritize educator well-being and student success! Share your thoughts: How can we support Texas teachers? #TexasEducation #TeacherSupport #EducationReform #WorkforceDevelopment #TeachersofAmerica #TeachinginAmerica #DallasNews

"The stress experienced by special educators is not only deeply ingrained in the inherent nature of their roles but also in the perceptions surrounding them. A key contributing factor is the idealization of special education teachers by schools, often portraying them as extraordinary individuals who are characterized as nurturing and self-sacrificing, willing to prioritize their students’ well-being over their own. " This sums up the pressure faced by many special educators. As noted in the article, many general education teachers say to special education teachers, “I could never do what you do.” The extra stipend some receive does little to offset the many hours of extra paperwork, student support, and planning they face. While I agree with many of the article's recommendations on supporting educators, the emphasis is still on teaching teachers to use self-care techniques. No amount of self-care makes up for being understaffed or overworked. Until that is addressed, the self-care techniques mentioned in the article will have minimal impact. https://lnkd.in/evNinNkS

https://lnkd.in/gvfCejhk Despite challenges, Mississippi schools are making strides in literacy education. The efforts highlighted in @nytimes showcase the dedication of educators and the potential for positive change in students' lives. #CT302KU