In a city where over 200,000 students rely on public and charter schools for their education, the struggle to fill thousands of vacant teaching positions each year has become an urgent issue.
Without enough qualified teachers, students don’t get the education they deserve, and schools are left scrambling to fill gaps.
In response, the city has launched TeachPHL, a program designed to attract more teachers, support them in their careers, and make sure they stay for the long haul.
So, what’s different this time?
Well, instead of offering short-term solutions, city leaders are collaborating with schools, universities, nonprofits, and government agencies.
More than 35 organizations have joined forces to form the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition, which will lead the effort.
This group, led by the nonprofit Elevate 215, aims to solve the shortage in a way that will last.
So, why is this effort so important?
According to research from Penn State, Pennsylvania is struggling with a statewide teacher shortage, with about 5,000 vacancies.
Lawmakers tried to address the problem last year by offering a $10,000 stipend to help recruit more teachers, but it wasn’t enough to solve the issue.
That’s why city officials are stepping up with a more long-term plan—one that focuses not only on hiring teachers but also on keeping them in the profession.
One of the initiative’s biggest goals is to increase teacher diversity.
There aren’t enough teachers of color in Philadelphia’s schools, even though the student population is highly diverse.
Research shows that students perform better in school when they have teachers who look like them and understand their experiences.
Consequently, TeachPHL has set an ambitious goal of adding 900 teachers of color over the next five years.
They want to create a school environment where more students can connect with their educators and feel supported.
Of course, hiring teachers is just the first step.
Another major focus is teacher retention, which means keeping teachers in their jobs for longer.
At the moment, 79% of Philadelphia teachers stay for at least five years, but officials want to raise that to 85%.
This may not seem like a huge jump, but in a district this large, even a small increase could mean hundreds of teachers staying in their roles instead of leaving.
To help make this happen, TeachPHL is offering better pay, more financial help for student loans, and stronger mentorship programs.
The idea is simple: if teachers feel supported, they’ll be more likely to stay.
Another concern is that more and more Philadelphia teachers are working without full certification.
Nine years ago, only 9% of Philadelphia’s teachers were working without full certification. Now, that number has jumped to over 22%.
This means that more than one in five teachers in the city have not gone through traditional training programs, which can make it harder for them to succeed in the classroom.
To fix this, TeachPHL is expanding training programs, creating pathways for school staff to become full-time teachers, and working with local universities to provide better support for new educators.
Officials also want to make sure teachers feel connected to the community.
Many educators, especially teachers of color, have said that they feel isolated in their schools, which can lead to burnout.
That’s why TeachPHL is encouraging affinity groups, which are spaces where teachers can support one another, share advice, and build relationships.
Having this kind of support can make a huge difference in keeping teachers motivated and engaged.
City leaders are confident that this plan will work.
Philadelphia school district superintendent Tony Watlington and Mayor Cherelle Parke have promised that this initiative will be a top priority for the city.
Schools like Sankofa Freedom Charter are already seeing progress. Nineteen staff members are currently working toward their teaching certifications through training programs.
As more schools get involved, officials hope this will create a pipeline of future teachers already connected to Philadelphia’s schools and communities.
Anyone interested in becoming a teacher or supporting the effort should visit TeachPHL.org, the website for the citywide recruitment campaign.
