On May 25, amid the ongoing national teacher shortage, a House subcommittee held a virtual hearing on the topic.
On Wednesday, May 25, the congressional House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee held a virtual hearing on the nationwide teacher and support staff shortages plaguing schools.
The virtual hearing, titled, “Tackling Teacher Shortages,” lasted over two hours and included analysis and insights from education policy leaders and experts. Participants included:
- Dr. Lindsey Burke, Director of the Center for Education Policy, Heritage Foundation;
- Desiree Carver-Thomas, Researcher and Policy Analyst, Learning Policy Institute;
- Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers; and
- Dr. Jane West, Education Policy Consultant
In Maryland, local school districts have tested and implemented a combination of the policies to address the state’s ongoing shortage of educational professionals. Several school districts have attempted to address the state’s teacher shortage via financial incentives like retention and hiring bonuses, while others have increased minimum pay for school support staff. Others have adjusted school calendars to incorporate more administrative days off and teacher wellness bonus days.
School staffing challenges was also a topic of concern during the 2022 legislative session, during which several initiatives to boost hiring and retention of school staff were considered and one bill was passed to provide support staff with $500 bonuses in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 and to study the issue of staffing shortages and pay.
Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more on trending topics in public education and relevant issues for county government.
Video of the May 25 House subcommittee hearing is available online.
