Commentary: How early care apprenticeships can help address California’s dire teacher shortage

California is in the midst of a decade-long and ever-present teacher shortage crisis.

Since 2016, the state has invested $1.2 billion to address the issue, and while this infusion of resources seemed to help make a difference initially, there has been a 33% decline in teachers — over 5,300 total — since the 2020-21 school year. The continued expansion of transitional kindergarten is also adding a tidal wave of more than 11,000 credentialed teachers needed to staff those classrooms.

Translation: The teacher shortage crisis is about to hit a breaking point.

Fortunately, an answer to this need for a teacher pipeline is hidden in plain sight: All we have to do is look at, and learn from, the so-called early care and education system. A proven option to address the teacher shortage, and a new option from the existing pathways to teaching that exist in California, is apprenticeship.

Please help put parents in charge of their child’s education by forwarding this article to other parents, family, friends and voters.
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