Few would argue that having a qualified, culturally responsive teacher is one of the most significant contributors to students’ academic success; yet, recent research and policy reports suggest there are critical shortages in nearly every state across the country. The detrimental impact on students is most often experienced by communities of color and economically challenged neighborhoods in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Although Grow Your Own (GYO) programs are frequently cited as one way to address the teacher shortage, many school districts need immediate help. The Pathways2Teaching® program was designed so that high school students can take several dual enrollment courses in their junior and senior years that help prepare them for immediate hire as paraprofessionals with knowledge & experience in serving students who qualify for special education services and students who are multilingual learners. We work with your local teacher preparation programs to have our courses approved for credit. Through Dr. Bianco's Educator Diversity Institute, students who successfully complete 3 courses (9 credits) will receive a ParaProfessional Certificate.

Pathways2Teaching Paraprofessional Courses

3 Credits

3 Credits

A Few Resources Related to Teacher Shortages

State Teacher Shortages 2024 Update. Learning Policy Institute

A Coming Crisis in Teaching? Teacher Supply, Demand, and Shortages in the U.S. Learning Policy Institute

‘When districts can’t find teachers, students suffer.’ Here’s why teacher shortages are disproportionately hurting low-income schools. PBS News

The State of the Teacher Workforce / A State-by-State Analysis of the Factors Influencing Teacher Shortages, Supply, Demand, and Equity

Raise the Bar: Eliminate the Educator Shortage. U.S. Department of Education

6 things to know about U.S. teacher shortages and how to solve them. NPR

Teacher shortages in the United States: A systematic examination of reports of teacher vacancy and shortages. Teacher Shortages

Teacher Shortages in the U.S: Challenges, Solutions & Initiatives in 2024. Teachers of Tomorrow