Every day too many students walk into classrooms where their teacher has quit or where there is no trained teacher to fill a critical vacancy.  Students cannot “catch up” on their learning in classrooms without effective, trained teachers.  The growing problem of teacher retention and recruitment is urgent and demands immediate and long-term change. The good news is that we know what works to recruit and to retain teachers.  In fact, the state has a Comprehensive Remedial Plan that includes recruiting and preparing new teachers, ensuring that salaries are competitive and hiring supplement staff to address the mental and physical health problems so that teachers and students can focus on learning.

The bad news is that the legislature has chosen to fund only about half of this plan, leaving off the funding for many actions that support teachers.  With a budget surplus of $9 billion, our state government should be fully funding this comprehensive plan now. Without full funding, teacher retention and recruitment efforts will be dramatically reduced.   

Join our virtual panel hosted by the LWVCM Education Action Team in conjunction with EveryChildNC.  The panelists, including a student, parent, teacher and a principal, will share their perspectives on how the problem of teacher retention and recruitment is impacting students.  EveryChildNC panelists will detail actions that you can take to ensure the plan is fully funded.  The webinar will be simultaneously translated into Spanish.  

Please register and join this important discussion. Direct questions to the Education team here.