California must continue to invest in the recruitment and retention of teachers through student financial aid.

With a persistent teacher shortage affecting the vast majority of schools and students in California, it’s critical to grow our ranks to meet the growing needs of our increasingly diverse population of students.

“In order to move more qualified teachers into classrooms, our state needs to change the equation by removing financial barriers to those attempting to enter the profession,” said David B. Goldberg, President of the California Teachers Association (CTA).

A CTA/Hart Research study on teacher recruitment and retention found that the availability of financial resources impacts teacher preparation.  Aspiring teachers shared that one of the key factors impacting their decision to become a teacher is the financial costs to enter, and their ability to finish, the teacher preparation program.

“As we work to expand resources to aspiring and existing teachers in California, we also want to make sure that current grant programs are being utilized to the fullest extent,” added Goldberg.

CTA is working with the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency responsible for administering state financial aid, to help ensure students are able to access financial aid. State financial aid programs, such as the Cal Grant Program, are critically important to help support students pursuing teaching. Eligible students can have their full tuition covered at California’s public universities through the Cal Grant Program, including a fifth year to complete a teaching credential program.

“These grant programs can be a game-changer for California’s teachers who are working to get credentialed,” said Goldberg. “Investing in and expanding these programs will ensure that more educators can reach students in communities across California.”

Reforming Cal Grant, an idea that policymakers and stakeholders have been championing for several years, will also help ensure the growth of programs like these to close the equity gap in education.

Designed with the needs of today’s students in mind, Cal Grant Reform would remove outdated barriers to entry by simplifying and streamlining the state aid program, such as restrictions based on age, years out of high school and GPA. Additionally, it would remove key eligibility barriers which are leaving out older, returning and “non-traditional” students while also growing the grant award amount for community college recipients over time.

As California works to meet our teacher shortage, it’s critically important that our state’s financial aid system is able to meet the growing demand. More information about the Cal Grant Reform policy is available here.