Dear friends and neighbors,<\/p>\n
Statewide, we have a serious teacher shortage. School districts are struggling to attract teachers to the profession and retain them once they are hired. Some districts have started the year with as many as 30 classroom vacancies. They\u2019ve resorted to filling these holes with principals and scarce, long-term substitute teachers, but even after these stop gaps are in place, many classrooms remain without permanent teachers.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why I\u2019ve sponsored legislation that would explore implementing a 12-month paid maternity\/paternity leave for teachers. The study would be conducted by an in-house research group at no additional cost to the taxpayer.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve heard from school boards in our district that we need to do a better job attracting young professionals from around the nation to teach in Washington. Study after study shows that young workers are looking for a better work-life balance. To be a state that is recognized nationally by new teachers, we\u2019ll have to think outside the box and beyond simply increasing compensation. This study will examine a proposal that many large private sector employers are starting to make and I strongly believe Washington should be on the leading edge of attracting young talented workers.<\/p>\n
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