Rich Bay Area Can’t Pay Teachers?
Our teacher shortage in California is growing at an alarming rate, and its impact is disproportionately affecting low-income communities of color. The shortage we face has been seriously exacerbated by the pandemic and an aging workforce, where teachers are constantly overburdened and face serious burnout as a result. While 85% of teachers statewide are fully credentialed, just under 58% of those teaching in Oakland Unified School District are. In Oakland, 27.4% of classroom teachers are considered “ineffective”, meaning they have no formal teacher preparation experience, compared to 3.6% statewide and 5.3% in San Francisco.
As one of the wealthiest regions in the nation, it's incomprehensible how severe our shortage of qualified and credentialed teachers is, especially comparing cities that are literally miles apart! COVID put a spotlight on the inequities running rampant in our public schools, many of which stem from the damage directly done to our state by Prop. 13. It is unequivocally unjust that low-income communities of color face the most severe consequences of underfunding in our schools. All of our students deserve to learn from teachers who are fully qualified and equitably paid. We must reform Prop. 13 and restore billions of dollars to our public schools!
RICH PEDRONCELL / AP Photo
New California data shows which kids get the most qualified teachers — and which don’t
Jill Tucker, SF Chronicle | 6/30/2022