Recruiting and retaining motivated college graduates to teach math, science and special education has long been a struggle for schools in troubled, low-income areas.
To recruit such teachers, California depends on the traditional education major at an education school and alternative teacher certification programs for non-education majors. As fewer candidates enter the traditional programs, alternative programs have become all the more important.
One of those is Teach for America, a nonprofit that recruits top college graduates who commit to teach for at least two years at low-income schools. It has a tremendous record in California’s largest urban areas – Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco.
Sacramento is the lone holdout. That needs to change.
Even as it faces a tough budget year, the Sacramento City Unified school board should jump on the opportunity to hire 30 Teach for America recruits to teach math, science and special education in six struggling schools.
The board heard a presentation from Teach for America on Thursday and will make a decision in early to mid-April.
Sadly, some teachers voiced open hostility to the program, and one board member, Diana Rodriguez, suggested it would devalue “teachers in the field.”
That is nonsense. The organization is not a slam on traditional credential programs at the University of California, Davis, or California State University, Sacramento. It also poses no threat to the teachers union, since Teach for America recruits would join the union like any other hire.
The highly selective Teach for America program draws a diverse, talented and committed pool of graduates from across the nation and puts them through a rigorous preparation program.
Schools benefit from having a mix of experienced, veteran teachers – and young, enthusiastic newcomers. And, yes, kids can benefit by having teachers who are science majors, who have received supplemental training in teaching techniques.
Some question the timing of adding Teach for America recruits. But even at this time of layoffs, the district has had to hire 118 math, science and special education teachers – and needs more. Teach for America recruits would fill these hard-to-staff positions.
When is the time right to bring top graduates to struggling schools? Always. Now.