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Connecticut to address educator shortage with new initiatives announced by governor

The administration said recent data showed a high number of certified educator and paraeducator vacancies in the state, particularly in special education.

CONNECTICUT, USA — Gov. Ned Lamont and state officials announced the launching of several initiatives to address teacher shortages in the state. 

The initiatives will support the creation of a new teacher registered apprenticeship program, provide investment to create paraeducator fairs, and expand existing high school "grow-your-own" programs. Those programs recruit and train teachers from within the communities where they live and work. 

The Lamont administration said that recent data showed a high number of certified educator and paraeducator vacancies in the state, particularly in special education, math, and science.

As of March, school districts reported around 1,300 vacancies and another 1,300 paraeducator vacancies. 

According to the administration, more than 60% of the vacancies are in "accountability districts."

“Connecticut has the best educators in the nation and they are the backbone of our education system,” Lamont said in the announcement. “While we have made some gains recently in teacher hiring, there remains a shortage in many school districts, and it is critically important that we maintain the talent pipeline necessary to address these challenges. The most important education reform is a great teacher in the classroom, and our administration remains committed to fully funding our education system.”

The $3 million initiative – led by the Connecticut State Department of Education and the Connecticut Department of Labor – aims to double the number of high schools offering programs for aspiring educators and help expand educator diversity. 

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The agencies also plan to launch a statewide campaign to attract more paraeducators to the classroom, including expanding paraeducator test sites, test preparation programs, job fairs, and recruitment events in collaboration with the American Job Centers.

“This investment will expand programs that we know are working to bring educators into classrooms, such as Educators Rising and NexGen Educators,” Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said. “These initiatives, coupled with new investments to initiate registered apprenticeship programs, will enable us to continue a forward momentum while developing a diverse workforce. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Labor, higher education, and other key partners to ensure program expansion and innovation to meet the staffing needs of Connecticut’s school districts.”

This additional investment builds on earlier investments by the Lamont administration, the Connecticut State Department of Education, local school districts, and institutions of higher education to develop, recruit, and retain a diverse educator workforce in Connecticut. 

“Registered apprenticeships are a great fit to address worker shortages in industries that depend on a highly skilled workforce,” Department of Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo said. “With classroom training, on the job learning, and experienced mentors, this program can help municipalities throughout the state inspire and support the next generation of educators. Encouraging people to pursue jobs in education will increase the talent and diversity in the hiring pool and get help into classrooms to prevent teacher burn out. I want to thank Governor Lamont for his commitment to education and workforce development and Commissioner Russell-Tucker and the Connecticut State Department of Education team. This is a strong partnership that will bring up new classroom leaders.”

Additional information on this teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program is available online on the state website.

Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.  

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