Dan DeBone: Legislature must work to solve teacher shortage

A strong business community begins with a strong education system. The success of our local businesses is directly linked to the quality of education in our schools — public, charter, parochial and private. If our students are not receiving a high-quality education, the workforce pipeline that sustains our businesses will suffer.

One pressing challenge we must address is the shortage of teachers in our region. Westmoreland County, like much of Pennsylvania, faces an urgent teacher shortage. A recent study ranked our county’s teacher supply as “very low,” highlighting a growing gap between the number of new teachers entering the profession and those leaving it. Simply put, more educators are exiting the classroom than we are training to replace them.

Recognizing the severity of this issue, our state Legislature has taken proactive steps. Over the past two budget cycles, lawmakers have allocated $30 million to a student-teacher stipend program. This initiative is critical because student teachers are required to spend time in classrooms as part of their certification process, yet this work remains unpaid. The financial burden discourages many aspiring educators from pursuing teaching as a career, especially when other fields offer paid internships and job opportunities.

By providing modest stipends, we are strengthening the teacher pipeline, making the profession more accessible and appealing to young people eager to serve our students. The program allows student teachers to cover essential expenses such as transportation, food and housing while gaining the experience they need to become certified educators.

As discussions for the 2025 legislative agenda take shape, we urge policymakers to continue prioritizing the student-teacher stipend program and ensure it is fully funded. The program’s expansion would allow every student teacher to receive financial support, helping to remove barriers that might otherwise force them to abandon their pursuit of a teaching career.

Additionally, innovative workforce development approaches must be part of the solution. The recent launch of Pennsylvania’s registered apprenticeship program for teachers represents an important step in thinking about education through a workforce development lens. To secure the future of our workforce and our economy, we must:

• Fully fund student-teacher stipends, ensuring no aspiring educator has to leave the profession due to financial hardship.

• Improve data collection on our teacher workforce to identify and address gaps effectively.

• Expand the registered teacher apprenticeship program and explore additional pathways to attract and train educators.

Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage is a crisis that threatens the academic success of today’s students and the economic prospects of future generations. By making strategic, targeted investments in our educator workforce, we can enhance the learning experience in our classrooms and strengthen the business community in Westmoreland County and statewide.

The time to act is now. Rebuilding the teacher pipeline benefits students, educators, schools and businesses alike. Let’s make it a priority this year.

Dan DeBone is president and CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce.