I have spent nearly two decades at Lehigh University studying how children learn, how early experiences shape long-term outcomes, and how the right support at the right time can change a young person’s trajectory. What I know, from both research and practice, is that strong educators are central to the healthy development of children and youth.
The teacher who spots a struggling reader in second grade, the school counselor who helps a teenager through a family crisis, the school psychologist who detects a learning difference before it becomes a label — these are the people who help keep the system running. And right now, Pennsylvania does not have enough of these important professionals.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, Pennsylvania school districts reported more than 3,300 professional vacancies. Special education alone accounted for nearly 700 unfilled classroom roles…