Subject:
Break down barriers to teaching careers. Student teachers shouldn't have to work for free.
Message:
Dear Legislator,
As a constituent who cares deeply about the future of public education, I urge you to support funding for student-teacher stipends to help address New York's growing educator shortage.
We all agree that New York needs more qualified, passionate educators. But our current system is blocking talented people from ever entering the profession. To earn certification, aspiring teachers must complete at least 14 weeks of full-time, unpaid student teaching. They cannot hold another job during this period, yet they are still responsible for travel, professional attire and living expenses. For many, this is not a challenge — it is a wall.
The results speak for themselves: enrollment in teacher preparation programs has declined by 50 percent since 2009. People who want to teach are being priced out of the profession. The current system favors those with financial safety nets and shuts out working-class candidates and career changers; the very people our classrooms need most.
Other states are already addressing this. Michigan and Pennsylvania have moved to compensate student teachers. If New York is serious about building a sustainable, diverse educator pipeline, we must remove the financial barriers embedded in our teacher certification system.
Accordingly, I urge you to support a $10 million investment to establish student-teacher stipends. This is a common-sense step that would open the door to our next generation of educators and help ensure every classroom in New York has the qualified, dedicated teacher our students deserve.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue. I respectfully ask that you bring up this issue with your conference, and I would greatly appreciate a response to this email.
Sincerely,
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