Pennsylvania

Guest commentary: Pennsylvania has a crisis in education staffing

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2024

Guest commentary: Pennsylvania has a crisis in education staffing

The number of teacher certifications given in the state of Pennsylvania in 2022 was at an all-time low; only 4,220 certifications were granted. In 2012, the number of certifications was over 16,000. This decline of more than 70% in 10 years is twice the national average. This lack of staff means that districts will have a difficult time finding quality educators and will need to be more competitive to be able to hire the staff they require. This places districts that are underfunded at an extreme disadvantage.

It is difficult to become a teacher. The programs are rigorous, you must take a lot of extra tests that people in other majors are not subject to, and student teaching which may last one entire semester, or in many colleges is divided over the entire 4 years of the degree program, is unpaid.

While people in other fields are given internships and are paid, student teachers actually must pay the college tuition to do the work of student teaching. College debt is sky high for people going into education and student loans are extremely burdensome and can continue to be for many years after graduation.

This shortage of teachers is being addressed by lowering the standards needed to receive a teaching certificate. Emergency certifications are being given out in great numbers, which is very bad for our students in Pennsylvania. Instructors who are given these emergency certifications have minimum requirements for teaching the classes they are assigned to. Many have minimum or no coursework in the subjects they are assigned to teach. How can we expect our young people to grow and flourish into great scholars if they are not being taught by people who know their subject matter?

Research states that teacher quality is the biggest determinant of student success. There is a clear statistical relationship between the experience and years of teaching of the educator, and the success of his/her students. Teacher turnover in underfunded districts is much higher than in wealthy districts, making the experience and years of teaching statistics much lower in poorer school districts, therefore, student success also much lower.

This problem will not just disappear on its own; it requires thoughtful solutions. This phenomenon has happened over a number of years, and will take a number of years to remedy. Paying students for student teaching and making it akin to an internship, instead of making students pay tuition to student teach, would be a start. The students would save thousands of dollars in tuition as well as make some money for the services they are providing to the schools which they are assigned.

This is a statewide problem and the state finances need to be involved. The governor’s budget could help by raising starting salaries of teachers throughout the state. A good starting salary might be very different for the middle of the state than what a good starting salary would be for the eastern counties such as Chester and Montgomery counties, the two wealthiest counties in the state, having the highest cost of living. Perhaps a percentage throughout the state could be agreed upon to raise teacher salaries across the board, thereby not making all salaries the same, but equal for where educators live and teach.

Pre-K-to-12 school districts are suffering from a severe drought of math and science teachers. Why would you want to be a teacher with a degree in chemistry, physics, or finance, where you make would make such a low salary, when you can go to one of the large drug companies or financial institutions in the area and double or triple your salary from the start? We need to think much more deeply about what and how educators are compensated for the knowledge they bring to our children every day.

Education is the biggest influence and game changer there is upon the direction of a young person’s life. Without a good education which extends beyond a high school degree, there is a slim chance of overall success for a good paying career which leads to better overall health outcomes and satisfaction with one’s lot in life. Pennsylvania politicians on both sides of the aisle need to come together and work to help students in all districts have the same opportunities for success. Gov. Josh Shapiro and Dr. Khalid Mumin, PA Secretary of Education, need to lead the way. We are watching.

Dr. Myra Forrest is a lifelong educator, former school superintendent and currently education advocate for the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation.

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Pennsylvania

1 dead, 2 hospitalized after crash in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, police say

Published

30 minutes ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

1 dead, 2 hospitalized after crash in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, police say

Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 9:28 PM EDT
/ CBS Philadelphia

One person is dead, and two others were taken to the hospital after a crash involving multiple vehicles in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. at East Bristol Road and Brownsville roads, police said.

Police said a person driving a Toyota RAV4 was involved in a domestic-related incident in Lower Southampton Township before the crash.

The person driving the Toyota RAV4 was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle while attempting to pass a Hyundai Kona, according to police.

The Toyota then became airborne, struck a Honda SUV and a Ford pickup truck and rolled over. The driver of the Toyota died in the crash, police said.

The driver of the Hyundai Kona left the road and came to a rest after striking a fence on Bristol Road, according to police.

It’s unclear if any drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Bensalem police.

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Pennsylvania

Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source

Published

11 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source

The publishers of two dozen local news brands across Pennsylvania today announced the official formation of the Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA).

The new Harrisburg-based organization is dedicated to bringing together digital-first local news organizations to strengthen the independent press, modernize laws and policies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of community news.

“The news industry is in a period of profound transformation, and digital news publishers need a seat at the table,” said Tom Sofield, PiNA’s president and publisher of LevittownNow.com.

PiNA’s mission is to provide these publishers with a collective voice, advocating for policies that reflect the modern reality of news consumers, local businesses and civic organizations.

An immediate focus for the new association is the reform of Pennsylvania’s outdated public notice laws, which currently prohibit digital outlets from publishing legal notices. PiNA seeks the right for qualified and established digital outlets to compete against incumbent print outlets and for local municipalities to choose the publication and medium that’s best for their communities. PiNA’s proposed amendment draws from similar legislation in Virginia that was signed into law in 2024.

“PiNA publishers have long been ready to compromise and find policy solutions that work for all Pennsylvanians,” said PiNA secretary and treasurer Davis Shaver, publisher of LebTown. “When lawmakers and local government organizations say they want the ability to self-publish notices, it’s a result of legacy newspapers treating the print monopoly over public notices as a profit center.”

PiNA’s position is that independent outlets can provide the third-party affidavits of publication required to demonstrate compliance with public notice mandates–an essential role of the notice process that would not be possible if agencies were allowed to publish on their own websites.

“We understand why self-publication is desirable, but it’s not the only way to provide urgently needed financial relief for the onerous print newspaper tax on public notices,” said Shaver. “We’re tired of waiting for legacy newspapers to disrupt themselves. Enough is enough, let’s move on.”

PiNA has already engaged with state legislators from across the Commonwealth. PiNA leadership said that the group has been encouraged to learn that its position has widespread support. In particular, PiNA commends Representative Robert Freeman (D-136) for his leadership on this issue.

PiNA represents a group of serious-minded news organizations and leaders. Its membership spans the Commonwealth, from the most rural area to the suburbs and to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. PiNA member outlets are read by millions of Pennsylvanians monthly.

“We are coming together to advocate for our staffs, our readers and common-sense policies–like public notice reform–that support a free and modern press,” said Sofield. “By combining our strengths, we can ensure that every community in Pennsylvania has access to reliable local news.”

The association will work to bring collaboration among the locally-owned Pennsylvania small businesses to share ideas and solutions for growth, technology and sustainable revenue models.

“We believe in the power of local news to build stronger communities and improve lives,” said Sofield. “By forming PiNA, we’re creating a base for independent publishers to thrive together.”

PiNA is focused on ensuring that high-quality, trustworthy local news is a permanent fixture in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The founding members of PiNA include Burb Media, EYT Media Group, Fideri News Network, Lazerpro, Lebanon Publishing Company, NCPA Media LLC and Street Light Media Group. The first associate members include West Hills Gazette and Saucon Source.

Member Outlets: AroundAmbler.com, CentralBucksNews.com, explore814.com, exploreClarion.com, exploreJeffersonPA.com, exploreVenango.com, GlensideLocal.com, HorshamNow.com, LebTown.com, LevittownNow.com, MediaPANow.com, MoreThanTheCurve.com, NewHopeFreePress.com, NewtownPANow.com, NorthCentralPA.com, NorthPennNow.com, PerkValleyNow.com, PhillyDaily.com, SauconSource.com, StateCollege.com, WestHillsGazette.com, WillowGroveNow.com, and WissNow.com.

About PiNA

The Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) is a trade association representing digital-first local news publishers. PiNA works to promote the health and sustainability of independent news outlets through advocacy, collaboration and innovation.

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