The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence has presented its recommendations to lawmakers on how to improve teacher quality in Kentucky.
The Prichard Committee is an education think-tank that worked for over a year on the recommendations. They include finding ways to recruit new teachers to replace aging baby-boomers and supporting equitable disbursement of new teachers among poor and better performing schools.
Prichard Committee director Stu Silberman says Kentucky also needs to do a better job supporting new teachers. A survey conducted this year showed around 20 percent never had access to a mentor.
“And that mentoring needs to take place immediately as they enter the schools. So we do think there’s a funding need right there right off the bat to make sure that induction process is available to all new teachers entering the profession.” –Stu Silberman
Silberman says the group will continue to lobby lawmakers into the legislative session. Officials say funding for all agencies and departments will be tight as Kentucky slowly rebounds from the recession.
