Gallego, Adams, Hayes, Houlahan Introduce Bill to Strengthen Arizona’s Teacher Workforce
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03), along with Alma Adams (NC-12), Reps. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) reintroduced the Teacher Diversity and Retention Act, to invest in and expand America’s teacher workforce.
“Too many Arizona students are in over-crowded classrooms or are being taught by teachers who aren’t fully qualified. We must address this teacher shortage for our kids’ future and our state’s economic future,” said Rep. Gallego. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bill that will support teacher training programs at Arizona’s public universities and schools like Diné College. By training teachers right here in Arizona, we can help ensure our teachers can understand and meet the unique needs of Arizona students.”
According to the Arizona School Personnel Administration Association, over 25% of teacher vacancies across Arizona are unfilled, while 44% of the vacancies are filled by teachers who do not meet the state’s standard certification requirements.
The Teacher Diversity and Retention Act would authorize two grant programs to fortify teacher recruitment and training programs. The first would provide an infusion of funds for teacher training programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The second would expand teacher preparation programs that provide dual certification in special education, social and emotional learning competencies, and behavior management so that teaching candidates are better prepared to meet the needs of all students.
“Half of Black public school teachers in our classrooms graduated from a Historically Black College or University,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “HBCUs, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are essential partners for increasing the diversity of classroom faculty. I’m proud to introduce the The Teacher Diversity and Retention Act with my colleagues so we can empower these institutions to train the next generation of public school teachers.”
“While the student population continues to become more diverse, educator ranks are drastically falling behind. At a time of unprecedented teaching shortages, it is essential that schools have the ability to recruit and retain educators who reflect the communities and students they serve,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “Teachers of color are critical in closing the achievement gap for students. This legislation aims to fortify the educator pipeline and position students for long-term success. I thank my colleagues Rep. Gallego, Adams, and Houlahan, for their leadership and I look forward to working together to build up our educator workforce.”
“Before I was elected to Congress, I proudly served in Teach for America as a chemistry teacher in North Philadelphia,” said Rep. Houlahan. “As much as I loved my students and was inspired by my work, I was frequently disappointed in the lack of diversity among my fellow instructors and, subsequently, the lack of diverse role models for my students. As we know, you can’t be what you can’t see. The Teacher Diversity and Retention Act seeks to ensure that our educators are as richly diverse as our communities and country, and I am honored to help reintroduce it.”
Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.
As part of his effort to strengthen the teacher pipeline, Gallego secured the first-ever funding for the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence in the fiscal year 2022 omnibus.
To support teachers and prevent burnout, in May Gallego introduced the Teachers Leading, Educating, Advancing, and Designing (Teachers LEAD) Act which would establish a competitive grant program through the Department of Education (ED) that would provide professional leadership and development opportunities for educators. He also introduced the EDUCATORS for America Act to strengthen the educator workforce, address the shortage of teachers, and support comprehensive educator preparation.
In April, Gallego introduced the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act to expand access to full-day Kindergarten. Currently several states, including Arizona, neither fund nor require full-day Kindergarten.