The Choice Channel

“Classroom enrollment is up in most parts of the country and so is the demand for public school teachers. But many states report that fewer people are choosing to become teachers — a trend that could lead to a national teacher shortage crisis, especially if baby boomers, who make up the largest age group in the profession, begin retiring en masse. Increases in college tuition and new pressures to up student test scores have made low-paying teaching jobs less appealing, education advocates say. And because today’s college graduates and new teachers typically change careers every five to seven years, turnover for teachers is at a record high. An estimated half of all teachers leave the field within five years.” (03/28/06)