Aspiring Educators program draws interest of high schoolers looking to become teachers

A dozen Westmoreland County high school students are getting a head start on becoming educators as the state looks for ways to contend with a teacher shortage.

Adi Belanger has been interested in pursuing teaching as a career, so the Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center’s new Aspiring Educators program came along at the perfect time. The Mt. Pleasant Area junior said she’s been learning how to create classroom curricula and education degree programs at area colleges.

“It’s been wonderful. I have learned a lot,” she said.

The center’s program, started this school year, brings college-level education courses to high schoolers in an effort to help them get through post-secondary education faster and boost the pool of teachers available to work. It is one of four in the state certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

“What we really want is for them to come back and work in our districts,” said Alexander Novickoff, the center’s assistant director of workforce education.

In 2011, Pennsylvania certified 15,000 teachers annually, but that has dropped significantly to fewer than 6,000 teachers in 2021, according to the Associated Press. State and education leaders have proposed tax credits, scholarships and other incentives to push more students into the education field.

A study by Penn State’s Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis showed that teachers left their jobs at a higher rate in the 2022-23 school year, with attrition reaching its highest point in a decade of tracking, according to an Associated Press article from May.

Twelve students from Mt. Pleasant Area, Belle Vernon Area, Yough and Southmoreland attend the Aspiring Educators program during the afternoons of their regular school day. The program is held at Mt. Pleasant Area, and students from the other districts are bused there, Novickoff said. It will expand to include classes at Hempfield Area next school year.

The two-year program has rigorous requirements for acceptance, including an essay, good grades, references and an interview. Students start the program as juniors and continue it during their senior year.

Instruction allows participants to work hands-on in classrooms, hear from guest lecturers and work through college-level courses. They can earn 15 college credits toward their education degree. The center has agreements with several colleges, including University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Carlow University and PennWest University.

“We want to give students as many options as possible,” Novickoff said.

Any student who is interested in the program can contact their school counselor. Students at the 10 schools involved with the Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center are eligible.

Mt. Pleasant Area Assistant Superintendent Beth Hutson said it is exciting for the district to be at the forefront of the issue.

“The Aspiring Educators program aligns with our commitment to providing innovative and impactful learning experiences for our students,” she said. “We believe it will play a crucial role in shaping the future of education in our community.”