Comprehensive Center Network: Cross-State Collaborative on Educator Shortages and COVID-19
![teacher and student wearing masks and talking while looking at a laptop](/sites/default/files/styles/100_/public/2024-06/teacher-and-student-wearing-masks-talking-GTL-Center-banner.jpg?itok=I8Pe4Nl6)
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of the long-term educator shortages across the country. To address the shortages, many districts and school relied on policies such as utilizing long-term substitute teachers or loosening licensure requirements.
However, these strategies may have worsened the long-term, systemic challenges exacerbating educator shortages, particularly in underserved schools that serve students of colors and face chronic shortages.
Over the past year, I have come to understand more deeply that the value of conferences/gatherings is the conversation that occurs in the hallways and breakfast tables. This series was the first that helped me make connections with peers in other states to whom I could reach out as thought partners.
- Collaborative Participant
To help state education agencies (SEAs) consider strategies that will not further exacerbate systemic teacher shortages, the GTL Center and Region 1 and 9 Comprehensive Centers established a Community of Practice of SEAs, districts, and other stakeholders to collaboratively develop COVID-specific educator shortage solutions alongside experts and peers.
AIR's Approach
The Educator Shortage Cross-Collaborative facilitated five peer-to-peer engagements. Using a collaborative inquiry protocol, state teams shared a topic-specific problem of practice and received feedback, ideas, and collective brainstorming with their peers and experts.
Project Outcomes
![Cover of report: Generating Solutions to COVID-Specific Educator Shortages](/sites/default/files/styles/50_/public/2024-06/synthesis%20cover.jpg?itok=ZIurURm-)
Explore key takeaways from each collaborative session, news highlights and articles, and resources curated to address the following session topics:
- Leveraging Educator Preparation Programs and Engaging Teacher Candidates to Fill Learning Gaps
- Understanding How Addressing Substitute Teacher Shortages May Exacerbate Equitable Access to Quality Teaching
- Innovative Teacher Staffing Models
- Preventing Teacher Attrition and Early Retirement
- Investing in Teachers First: A Discussion of New Federal Opportunities