If you’ve ever considered a career in education, opportunity is knocking.
More than 13,500 teachers retired across California at the end of last year, according to data from the statewide retirement system — about a thousand more than the year before. The same trend was in evidence here in Santa Cruz County, where this last year we have seen record numbers of teacher departures from the classroom that have left many positions still unfilled.
Across our school districts and charter schools, leaders are canceling professional development, requiring teachers to teach additional periods, and reassigning administrators to the classroom to ensure students have a teacher and are supervised.
Our schools need your help. We need passionate people who care about our children to step up and support our children and classrooms — especially in the short-term, helping us bridge the resultant gap while the talented teachers of tomorrow are still on the other end of the classroom.
Educators could not be more essential to ensuring equity and opportunity for our children. The impacts of a year of mostly remote learning have made their essential role even more clear.
It’s our belief that we have dozens of passionate, talented people from all backgrounds here in Santa Cruz County with a drive to serve our students within our own community. I see you working and volunteering across our community.
Want to get involved? The most straightforward way to join the ranks of Santa Cruz County’s teachers is by becoming a substitute.
Becoming a substitute teacher has never been easier or more important than it is now. All that’s required is a bachelor’s degree, basic subject-matter proficiency, and a passion for engaging and inspiring students.
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing this summer waived first-time application fees for substitute teaching permits. At the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, we’ve waived our usual fingerprinting fee for getting on our substitute list. You can find out more about becoming a substitute teacher, and fill out an interest form, at sccoe.link/sub.
Issues surrounding teacher recruitment and retention were not born out of the pandemic. Many challenges are systemic, at both the state and local levels. High housing costs in our county are a significant factor and something we are continuing to work to address — including through a home-ownership assistance partnership with Landed.
At its core, the challenges relate to a fundamental underinvestment in education. There is much more work to be done to address these systemic issues, both locally and the state and federal level.
But in the shorter term, navigating this significant staffing shortage requires, on various levels, increased community involvement and support.
So whether you are a recent retiree, graduate, or simply looking for a career change, part-time work, or an opportunity to give back, I hope you’ll consider a position in our classrooms.
For those who do, thank you. You will be joining a community of educators who make such a difference in the lives of our students.
The Superintendent’s Community Report is a Sunday column written by Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah. He can be reached at fsabbah@santacruzcoe.org or at santacruzcoe.org. He can also be reached on Facebook at facebook.com/SantaCruzCOE and on Twitter at twitter.com/SCSupt.
"work" - Google News
September 19, 2021 at 05:02AM
https://ift.tt/2ZapYJw
Superintendent’s Community Report | We need more people to come work in education - Santa Cruz Sentinel
"work" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bUEaYA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Superintendent’s Community Report | We need more people to come work in education - Santa Cruz Sentinel"
Post a Comment