Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania to provide nearly $8M to address teacher shortages
In May, Gwynedd Mercy University said it would partner with Bucks County Community College and BCIU to create the state’s first undergraduate apprenticeship program, with a focus on special education. This grant will help fund the program, said Deborah Schadler, coordinator of undergraduate education at Gwynedd Mercy.
Chester County Intermediate Unit 24 ($600,000): It will expand its post-baccalaureate special education apprenticeship program in high-need districts. The grant will also allow the Intermediate Unit to provide certification and mentorship programs to student teachers.
Esperanza Academy Charter School in Philadelphia ($400,000): The grant will be used by a partnership between Esperanza Academy and Eastern University to help paraprofessionals earn Bachelor of Science degrees in special education and acquire teacher certifications.
In the 2023-24 school year, the state Department of Education said it issued more than 6,600 teachers’ certificates, about 100 more than the previous school year. Still, about 5,500 teaching vacancies remain in Pennsylvania.
Why teaching shortages?
The teacher shortage is fueled by low pay and difficult working conditions, education advocates say, along with more teachers leaving the profession. The statewide attrition rate is about 7%.
Laura Boyce, executive director of Teach Plus, a nonprofit group, said the apprenticeship model for teachers is becoming increasingly popular nationwide.
In a related matter Monday, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh highlighted Gov. Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal for a $55 million investment to give $1,000 retention and recruitment bonuses to eligible childcare providers in the state’s Child Care Works Program.
The state estimates that there are 3,000 childcare worker vacancies statewide. More than 300,000 children in Pennsylvania participate in the state’s childcare system.
“An early childhood education experience can shape the educational, social and emotional development of our youngest Pennsylvanians, providing a foundation that will reap benefits throughout their lives,” said Arkoosh in a visit to the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center on Monday.
Pennsylvania
Police hunt for masked suspects who looted a Pennsylvania Lululemon overnight
Pennsylvania police are searching for at least two masked suspects believed to have looted a Lululemon store overnight.
At least two masked men broke into a Lululemon in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, around 2 a.m. Tuesday, police told NBC 10 Philadelphia. Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, is home to about 14,000 people.
The suspected thieves used a sledgehammer to break the glass on the store’s front door, according to police.
Once they gained access, the masked individuals grabbed handfuls of merchandise, security footage shows. The men went in and out of the store several times, grabbing handfuls of items that included coats, vests and shirts from the men’s section, police told local outlet WPVI.
“This is taking it to another level,” Lower Merion Police Superintendent Andy Block told WPVI.
The suspects then loaded the merchandise into a U-Haul truck. Their truck was last seen at the intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue and Woodbine Avenue, just a few miles from the store, police said.
The entire incident lasted about five minutes, which Block said is longer than usual for this type of burglary.
“Usually, it is because in a smash-and-grab situation they want to get in and get out before they’re identified or anybody’s notified on it,” Block told CBS Philadelphia.
Block told WPVI the store is a popular target for robbers, given that many of its items cost more than $100. Now, he expects the alleged thieves have sold or exchanged the items.
“They’re using it on the market, maybe they’re exchanging it for drugs, or they’re selling it on the black market. It’s a highly sought-after item,” he told WPVI.
Even though police say Lululemon is a popular target, Lt. Michael Keenan of the Lower Merion Police Department still called the incident “out of character.”
“This is an out of character, out of type incident where we don’t normally see people smashing windows in the middle of the night. But, certainly this is something that is distinct,” Keenan told NBC 10 Philadelphia.
The store still opened Tuesday, with a banner covering the smashed glass on the door, according to Fox 29. Gina Picciano, a general manager at a restaurant across the street, said it was a frightening incident.
“I walked out here with my bartender and we looked, and it’s scary that it’s happening right across the way from us,” Picciano told Fox 29.
The same store was previously robbed in May 2024. Thieves stole more than $10,000 worth of merchandise during that incident, NBC 10 Philadelphia reports.
The Independent has contacted the Lower Merion Police Department and Lululemon for comment.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has $30 million for his reelection bid, a new state record
Pennsylvania
3 winning scratch-off lotto tickets totaling $7.5M sold in Pennsylvania
RADNOR TWP., Pa. (WPVI) — Three winning scratch-off tickets totaling $7.5 million were sold in Pennsylvania, lottery officials announced on Monday.
One winning “MONOPOLY Own It All” ticket worth $5 million was sold in Delaware County at the GIANT on the 500 block of East Lancaster Avenue. The grocery store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
“MONOPOLY Own It All” is a $50 game that offers top prizes of $5 million.
In Erie County, a $1.5 million-winning “Cash Spectacular” scratch-off was purchased at a Sheetz on Perry Highway. “Cash Spectacular” is a $30 game that offers top prizes of $1.5 million.
And in Luzerne County, a $1 million-winning “Millionaire Loading” scratch-off was sold at Schiel’s Family Market in Wilkes-Barre. “Millionaire Loading” is a $20 game that offers top prizes of $1 million.
Scratch-off prizes expire one year from the game’s end-sale date posted at palottery.com.
Winners should immediately sign the back of their ticket and call the Pennsylvania Lottery at 1-800-692-7481.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
-
World1 week agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
News1 week agoFor those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos
-
Health1 week agoDid holiday stress wreak havoc on your gut? Doctors say 6 simple tips can help
-
Science1 week agoWe Asked for Environmental Fixes in Your State. You Sent In Thousands.
-
Business1 week agoA tale of two Ralphs — Lauren and the supermarket — shows the reality of a K-shaped economy
-
Politics1 week agoThe biggest losers of 2025: Who fell flat as the year closed
-
Politics1 week agoCommentary: America tried something new in 2025. It’s not going well
-
Technology1 week agoThe best PS5 games from 2025