The 2022 Legislators' Forum focused on challenges to the nationwide and statewide teacher shortage.
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained nearly every aspect of our society, and West Virginia’s education system is no exception. The state’s K-12 system currently has some 1,000 job vacancies as teachers have chosen to retire early or have left the professional altogether.
Learning Policy Institute Senior Policy Advisor Ryan Saunders led a discussion on teacher shortage trends at the national and state level, recruitment and retention challenges and best practices to advance the teaching profession.WVDE Director of Educator Development and Support Services Carla Warren discussed steps the WVDE is taking to advance teacher preparation efforts, while WVDE Director of Early and Elementary Learning, Monica DellaMea, shared strategies on supporting teachers to boost retention efforts across West Virginia. She also discussed the potential benefits of placing Early Childhood Classroom Assistants in all first and second grade classrooms.
The sixth annual Legislators’ Forum on Education and the Economy was held on January 10, 2022 and was co-hosted by the WVPEC and the West Virginia Department of Education.
Agenda
Meet and Greet
- WVDE, WVPEC, State Board, Legislators meet and greet
Welcome
- Roger Hanshaw, Speaker, West Virginia House of Delegates
- Donna Peduto, Executive Director, WVPEC
Setting the Stage: Teacher Shortage in West Virginia and Across the Nation
- Ryan Saunders, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute
Q&A with Ryan Saunders, State Board and Legislators
WVDE Advances Teacher Preparation Efforts
- Carla Warren, Director, Educator Development and Support Services, West Virginia Department of Education
- Monica DellaMea, Director of Early and Elementary Learning, West Virginia Department of Education