Indiana University Drives Solutions to Nationwide Teacher Shortage, Empowers Educators Through Innovation
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, almost 75% of public schools nationwide have difficulty filling vacant teaching positions, with one-fifth still unfilled at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. The pressure to keep up with rapid changes in subject areas like the sciences, while also preparing students to engage in a more globally connected economy, can drive current teachers out of the profession.
Indiana University is closing the gap through innovative education career pathways that span the state, offering crucial professional development for current teachers — all while leading the nation in academic programs for aspiring teachers.
The School of Education at IU’s flagship campus in Bloomington ranked No. 1 for best graduate education schools in Indiana by U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, eight graduate specialty programs are nationally ranked in the top 20, with elementary teacher education ranked No. 5 and secondary education ranked No. 8.
IU confers nearly one-quarter of all education degrees awarded in the state and annually hosts more than 850 programs that support K-12 student learning; resources that foster innovative pedagogical approaches; ongoing opportunities for K-12 educators to develop new skills; and events that connect IU faculty with P-12 schools.
Building educator pipelines
The U.S. Department of Labor recently approved IU as a group sponsor for a new Registered Apprenticeship Program, creating career pathways for aspiring K-12 educators. It integrates on-the-job learning with academic instruction and professional mentoring. This unique grow-your-own model, a partnership between IU and P-12 schools, identifies potential candidates, builds the classes around their work schedule. It provides an ongoing collaboration that both supports the school’s needs and helps the student/staff member balance it all.
“Perhaps someone has some college, or no college, and would love to be a teacher, but they also need to work,” said Leah Nellis, IU assistant vice president for school partnerships. “This program allows them to work at a school in a paraprofessional role and earn an income while getting an education.”
The Indiana Department of Education reports nearly 2,000 teaching and student support vacancies. However, some non-educators already working in schools may transition into a teaching role through the apprenticeship program. This helps school districts develop the talent they already have and recruit those entering the workforce.
Marlie Chaffee was interested in a career in education and joined the first cohort of IU Kokomo’s Tomorrow’s Teachers program, taking dual-credit classes at her high school in 12th grade. She chose IU Kokomo for college, graduating in 2022, and is now an elementary school teacher in Indiana.
IU Kokomo collaborates with more than 160 partner schools through its education programs. As a result, graduates are well prepared to make a difference, with 96% rated highly effective or effective by their district.
In addition to teachers, classrooms need holistic support amid the growing youth mental health crisis. School of Social Work professor Barbara Pierce is leading a five-year, $5.7 million U.S. Department of Education grant to expand the mental health workforce in underserved schools. IU’s Mental Health Service Capacity Building Program offers full one-year tuition scholarships and $5,000 stipends for second-year Master of Social Work students, placing them in high-need communities for hands-on practicum experience.
The state hopes more students also consider opportunities in early childhood education. A recent report from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce found that Indiana’s economy misses an estimated $4.22 billion annually due to the lack of affordable child care options and related challenges.
The School of Education at IU Indianapolis, a leader in urban education, partnered with the state to offer dual-credit courses to high school students in Indianapolis through an apprenticeship in early childhood education. The school is esteemed for disrupting longstanding inequities and increasing access to educational opportunities for all learners.
Bringing science research to the classroom
As a premier research institution, IU advances the sciences through breakthroughs in cancer research, Alzheimer’s disease research, brain science, the improvement of health outcomes, earth and space science and more. Innovative teacher training programs connect IU’s renowned experts and P-12 educators around the state.
One of Indiana’s prominent industries is life sciences and health care, but there is a growing shortage of medical research professionals. IU’s Medical Research Education Project is a bold step in expanding this workforce by pairing fifth- through ninth-grade science teachers with cancer researchers to co-design medical research lesson plans. By bringing the latest in health discoveries to the classroom, teachers impart biology lessons while inspiring students to see themselves as future research professionals.
Hundreds of educators participate in an IU School of Education climate science teaching initiative called Educating for Environmental Change, led by Adam Scribner, director of STEM education initiatives. Kirstin Milks, a science teacher at Bloomington High School South, co-designed a lesson plan with IU scientists about reducing planet-heating pollution. Students presented their ideas to IU faculty, who provided valuable feedback and encouragement.
"Teaching about climate change often requires complex and nuanced work: How can you help students see both the big picture and the staggering quantity of data that informs it? How can you balance the severity and urgency of the problem with hope, agency and action?” Milks said. “Educating for Environmental Change provides a rich space for classroom teachers to explore these questions with input from scientists and scholars.”
Scribner also launched a similar pairing program specifically for Monroe County educators called Synergy in Science: Bridging Classrooms and Laboratories. Participants receive professional development, resources and stipends.
Connecting schools to the world
The U.S. is the world’s largest national economy and leading global trader. Indiana alone has 1,050 companies with origins in 40 countries, resulting in increased demand for a culturally competent Hoosier workforce.
IU is a window to the world. The university teaches the most foreign languages in the U.S., has more grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI program than any other university and is ranked No. 1 for its number of Language Flagship programs. Faculty bring their expertise to teachers so they can infuse global competency into lessons.
“Many people think you have to leave the country to have an international perspective, but you can be globally competent without having to travel,” said Vesna Dimitrieska, director of global education initiatives for the IU School of Education.
“There are students in rural and urban classrooms who don’t have the opportunity to go overseas. However, they can still be ready to participate in a global economy because teachers bring the world to them.”
The school’s Global Literacy Invitation Project promotes a teaching strategy of open-ended investigation that extends cross-cultural book themes into other areas and subjects, including technology, science, math, music and art.
Center for the Study of Global Change Director Eli Konwest oversees its P-12 programming, which includes language learning, cross-cultural understanding, global competency skills and an internationalized curriculum.
Shaping the future of education
The recent PK-12 Education Summit brought over 200 leaders from across Indiana to address challenges through strategic collaboration. Given IU’s success in strengthening pipelines and enhancing teacher training, Eastern Hancock Schools Superintendent George Philhower said he looks forward to enriching educational experiences.
“Our ongoing collaborations with Indiana University have been instrumental in creating opportunities for our students while also empowering them to explore and pursue their future paths with confidence and clarity.”
This content was paid for and created by Indiana University. The editorial staff of The Chronicle had no role in its preparation. Find out more about paid content.
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